


Polarity

by MansiJain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Female Harry, Female Harry Potter, Female Harry Potter/Male Draco Malfoy, James Potter Lives, Lily Evans Potter Lives, Married Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, POV Alternating, Remus Lupin Lives, Sirius Black Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-29 17:04:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12635352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MansiJain/pseuds/MansiJain
Summary: Draco is neglecting his wife, Harry Potter for his family business. Lucius and Narcissa decide that they have had quite enough when he forgets their first anniversary. Female Harry Potter.Alive James, Lily, Sirius, Remus. Married Harry and Draco. Magical AU





	1. Regrets of a father

**Author's Note:**

> All rights belong to Rowling and the relevant corporations. I make no money from the publication of this "work."

 

_**Chapter-1** _

_**Regrets of a father** _

"Draco." His daughter-in-law Harry Potter whispers and Lucius looks at her from the corner of his eyes, pretending to read the Daily Prophet. 

"Hmmmm. " Draco replies in a distracted voice. They are having breakfast right now and it's like he is sitting in front of his younger self. Breakfasts have always been annoying in the Malfoy household. Malfoy men have always neglected their better halves in the favor of their business. He had been sorely mistaken to presume that Draco will change the trend his forefathers had set. 

A year has passed since Draco married Harry and brought her in this manor. Initially, everything was fine. However, as the days passed, Draco started distancing himself from Harry. He started leaving early and returning late. It's somewhat unnerving to watch Draco ignore Harry and watch Harry try to catch his attention because now he can clearly see what he forced Narcissa to go through. 

He looks at Narcissa and can remember not even bothering to listen to her. Over the years, she just got used to it and stopped speaking.

Now when Lucius has retired, he yearns for Narcissa to talk to him. Except for the few sentences like 'how are you' or 'do you want something', she rarely ever speaks anything. It's his own doing and now when Draco is committing the same mistake, he is worried as well as annoyed. 

"Draco." Harry repeats insistently and this time Draco lifts his face, his eyes mildly annoyed, "What's it Harry? You know that I have a meeting today. Not everyone can afford the luxury of doing nothing like you."

Harry stares at her husband. Lucius wants to stare too. From the looks of it, Narcissa is furious as well. Her hands are too tight around her spoon and she is frowning at her breakfast. But she doesn't say anything and Lucius laments over it. 

"I don't do anything all day?" Harry hisses at her husband and when she has his complete attention, she continues, "Might I remind you that I am a potions mistress and a successful one at that."

"Might I remind you that I am busy? Will you just get back to whatever you do with your day. Just shut up and let me concentrate." Draco mutters, his eyes back on his papers and Lucius closes his eyes to calm himself down. It won't do to shout at Draco. He is not a child anymore and Lucius had promised himself to never lose his temper on anyone. 

Narcissa and he have always tried to become the kind of in-laws a girl might need. Atleast they are doing their bit. It's a  relief that Harry loves Narcissa and they spend so much time together. 

They support Harry in everything she wants. Draco had married Harry two years after his graduation from Hogwarts. Harry was still studying at that time and was very nervous as to whether she will be allowed to attain her potions degree or not. She had married against her parent's wishes and no option to postpone the marriage until she could complete her education. 

The day next to their marriage, Lucius had told her that she could live her the life the way she wanted, that they could take care of everything else. She was only twenty at that time. She was beyond elated and had completed her internship under Severus. Thet are proud of her for achieving what she had always dreamed of. 

Draco had joined the family business and Lucius had retired. Now he wonders if he had taken the right decision by doing so.

"Do you even remember what day it is today?" Harry whispers, her voice soft and low and his son frowns at something written in the file before marking it.

"Whatever Harry. I have to leave. I might be late. Don't wait for me."

This being said, Draco gets up and leaves, his back straight. He doesn't spare a single glance to Harry. The poor girl is left to stare at his back. Lucius knows that gradually she will get used to it too, as Narcissa did. Fifteen years down the line, she will stop speaking at all, no matter what Draco wants. 

She will stop expecting anything from Draco like Narcissa did. Narcissa doesn't even wish Lucius now. They don't celebrate anything, anniversaries, birthdays, nothing and now Lucius wants it but he has no courage to ask Narcissa. He thinks that he has wasted fifteen years of her life. He wonders why she didn't leave him alltogether. She has always been beautiful. At Hogwarts, she was one of the most beautiful woman. Yet, she never spoke about divorce. 

Her face is blank. Her answers are automatic. It's like she has buried her desires deep inside her heart and Lucius needs to know what she really wants in life. 

Also, he doesn't want Harry to lead such a life. He wants her to be happy and if- if Draco can't keep her happy, then it's better that they get divorced before it becomes too late. 

The green eyed girl looks at her breakfast morosely. Lucius stares at his wife to find out whether she remembers what Draco has forgotten. A look at her face and he knows. She is fuming. Today is the day when his son has married Harry. It's their anniversary and it's obvious that Harry dressed up for Draco. Her curly hair are flowing behind her back today  and she is looking beautiful in her blue muggle jeans and a light pink shirt . He wonders if she had expected Draco to plan something.

She resumes eating her breakfast and sniffs every now and then. It's surprising that Harry still hasn't stormed towards her room. Anyone would. She is eating her breakfast very slowly as if she is forcing the food inside her.

For a moment, Lucius studies her posture. He wonders if she took an off today. She probably did. It's their first anniversary. How can Draco forget it?

His heart clenches as she sniffs, trying to silence her sobs. Even after a year, she has no contact with her parents. She practically has no-one. Her best friends had abandoned her because she had married Draco. She has no-one else to talk to or spend time with and she must have given a holiday to her staff. She deserves to celebrate.

 A lone tear falls down her cheeks. For the first time, Lucius laments over the fact that he never set a good example for Draco.

He didn't even stop to think what Draco's dream was. Lucius had always been interested in his family business and had assumed that Draco was too. Draco never protested against it but that can be blamed on the fact that he never told Draco that he had options. He wonders whether Draco would have had a balanced life if he had chased his own dreams.

Perhaps Lucius and Narcissa should apologize to the Potters now.

Perhaps it's time because he can't see her crying. Initially, both his wife and he had found her too exuberant for their tastes. She liked baking and reading and writing and liked muggle contraptions. One of them is called a television. It took time but they find it enjoyable now. She likes listening to music and they find it relaxing. 

Narcissa's fury is rising. Her hand is trembling. She doesn't want to interfere. Nor does he but it's time. It's time to make amends.

He looks silently at his wife. He had realized it long ago that he considers Harry as his daughter now and he knows that Narcissa feels the same. They go for shopping together and she loves Harry. Anyone would. She is a very good girl and they don't want her to waste her life like this.

"Harry." He whispers and Harry blinks rapidly before taking a sip of water. Her eyes are so expressive. She is so sad.

Lucius tries to control his mounting rage and clears his throat before whispering, "Let's visit your parents today."

She stares at him, her watery eyes wide with shock.

"They won't talk to me and they will insult you." She says and Lucius looks quietly at her. It's difficult to understand why she is trying to protect them. It's not like they had been kind to her family, like ever.

"I don't think they will. It's time to make amends Harry. No-one should be abandoned by their family like this. I am sure they miss you." Narcissa replies, her voice measured and her eyes carefully blank.

Harry looks at Narcissa and then at Lucius before speaking, "You are doing this because he forgot it, aren't you? It's okay. It's not your fault." He green eyes are sad yet adamant. 

"No. That's not the only reason. We have been talking about this for some days now. We will apologize because it is the right thing to do. You deserve your family and best friends." Lucius whispers. The green eyed girl is quite stubborn. He knows that. He has known that ever since she stepped inside the manor. There were so many things that she changed.

"Consider it an anniversary gift." He mutters and she looks at him, her eyes cautious.

"If they insult both of you, we will-" She starts and Narcissa cuts in, "We will leave. I promise."

Lucius knows that it won't come to that. Potters miss their daughter. He is sure that they just don't want to disturb her life by interfering. They must be under a misconception that Lucius and Narcissa hate them.

They are wrong of course. Lucius hates himself for not teaching Draco well. He doesn't hold grudges against anyone. After all he isn't a child now. 

He wipes his face and gets up, "We will leave in a few minutes Harry."

The young woman nods and gets up. He can't help but notice that her eyes are a bit excited now. Of course, they are. They are her parents. She loves them. How can anyone expect her to just leave them behind forever after marriage. They should have taken this step earlier. Why did he make it so late?

She is dressed in muggle clothes. Early in their marriage, Lucius and Narcissa had told her that she can dress the way she wants. In fact, Narcissa owns a few muggle clothes too.

She is good girl and her parents have raised her well. Initially, Lucius had found it odd that she liked cooking new things so much since he had only ever seen elves do the cooking in the manor. Gradually, he realized that cooking relaxes her. She would try new things and ask them if they like it. 

She has worn on them. Narcissa's friends are jealous of her for having Harry as her daughter-in-law and Lucius knows that his friends envy him too.

He knows that she deserves better than this and if Draco's doesn't amend his ways soon, he will have to take steps to ensure that he does. He waits for his wife and Harry, his cane in his right hand and his eyes staring at the huge fireplace.

XXXX

 


	2. Enough

_**Chapter-2** _

_**Enough** _

Harry is truly surprised that Narcissa decided to wear a muggle dress. She only wears them at home. She still feels awkward in them. But today she is wearing a muggle long skirt and a blue top to go with it.

She looks at Harry a bit self consciously. She is asking for Harry's opinion silently and Harry opens his mouth to laud her but Lucius beats her to it.

"You are looking beautiful Cissa."

Harry stares at her father-in-Law. Narcissa is as shocked as Harry is. Lucius has never praised Narcissa in company. Draco is very much like his father in many aspects.

The man looks a bit uncomfortable which is understandable.

Narcissa opens her mouth and closes it and very slowly a blush that Harry has never seen on her face graces her cheeks and she replies, "Thank you."

It's rather nice to see this change in her father-in-law. She hugs Narcissa and whispers in her ears, "You are looking extremely beautiful. Thanks for doing this for me."

Warm arms gently around her, "You have done a lot for me too Harry though you don't realize it."

Harry pulls back and smiles at her and then at Lucius. He smiles back at her which she still finds surprising because he rarely ever smiled when she had started living here.

"Let's go." He whispers and Narcissa avoids his eyes before standing beside him so that they can apparate.

In another minute they land in front of her old house in Godrics Hollow.

Suddenly the reality hits her and she is extremely terrified.

"They will not accept me. They will be so angry with me for showing on their doorstep like this." She whispers, her eyes flicking from Lucius to Narcissa, "Let's just leave."

But before Narcissa can say anything the door behind her opens and Harry's heart starts beating loudly.

"Harry." It's her mother and merlin, it's so nice to hear her.

Narcissa smiles encouragingly at her and whispers, "See, she is not angry with you."

Harry turns around slowly to look at her mother. Her green eyes are wet and her hand is on her mouth. She is truly stunned.

"I-We thought that your in-laws don't want you to meet us. We missed you so much. We are not angry- noone is angry with you." She whispers in a strangled voice and Harry runs into her arms.

Her mother's warm arms wrap around her and she murmurs, "I missed you so much." through her tears.

"Lily- who is- Harry... oh dear! Harry it's really you and oh! oh! Lily... do invite them in. They are still standing at our door." Dad says all of that in one breath and Harry stares at him, her face on mother's shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks. She had thought that dad would never forgive her so his reaction is surprising.

" Oh dear! I got carried away. Forgive me please. " Mother whispers and pulls back a bit.

Her face is wet with tears and her hand is wrapped around Harry's.

"We understand. It's been a year now. You must miss her." Lucius whispers and Narcissa continues, her eyes bright, "We are so glad that you are not angry-" once they sit down on the couch

"Angry. No. No. We weren't angry. It's been a long time now. We just wanted her to be happy and we thought that you dislike us. We didn't want to interfere in her life." Dad says and mom continues, "He is right. I - she will always be our daughter. Even her best friends want to talk to her but they are under an impression that Draco would not like it. Just yesterday, they met us and Hermione was literally crying because she was missing Harry."

Harry keeps on staring at mom for a few moments.

" By the way, you look beautiful Narcissa. " Mom whispers.

" Thank you. Harry has brought all these changes in our life. You have raised her really well. She is a very good girl. "

Harry's cheeks turn red and she beams at Narcissa and Lucius.

"We wanted to apologize -" Lucius starts but dad cuts him off, "None of that Lucius. Bygones are bygones. The moment you accepted our daughter as your own, the respect for your family increased tenfold in our eyes. We were so sure that you will not let her live peacefully. But Lily's friends gossip and then Harry became a potions mistress too which was quite surprising. "

And just like that everything was fine. Harry had a wonderful time with her parents. They had cake and celebrated her anniversary.

She missed Draco like hell but knew that it couldn't be helped so she tried to forget that Draco didn't even bother to remember their anniversary.

As the evening came to an end, Ron and Hermione visited too and Harry had a tearful reunion with them.

Later when she returned home, she made it sure to thank Lucius and Narcissa for such a lovely day.

It was only when she entered her room and found Draco sitting on their bed, his chest bare, when her smile faltered and her heart clenched.

"Where were all of you?" He asked after taking a moment to keep his file aside and looked at her.

"At my parent's place." She whispers before walking inside the bathroom to change into her sleeping shorts and a thin top.

He is sitting very still when she returns. Perhaps he expects an explanation but she gives none. She only switches the lights off and lays down on the bed before placing their blanket over her.

"Good night." She whispers and closes her eyes, not at all interested in talking to the man at all.

XXXX

Draco had returned half an hour before Harry did with mum and dad. All day long, he felt a twinge of guilt in his chest but work and stress overshadowed it and by the time he returned home, he was so tired that he just wanted to make love to Harry and then sleep. He had already taken dinner at his office.

Despite the fact that his mind was distracted, he couldn't get the strange feeling that he was forgetting something out of his mind.

Now that he is witnessing Harry's indifferent behavior, he knows for sure that he has definitely forgotten something.

Harry's birthday was two weeks ago which he had forgotten too so it can't be her birthday today. He looks at her. She is sleeping with her back towards him. He wonders whether she has really slept. He takes off his pajamas and lays down beneath the blankets in just his boxers. Very slowly, he shifts towards Harry and attempts to take her in his arms.

"Can I please go to sleep. It's quite late. Don't you have work tomorrow?" She asks, her voice seeming on the edge. Nevertheless, he wraps his arms around her waist very gently and pulls her against his chest.

"What have I forgotten?" He asks before sliding his hand beneath her top. Her skin is warm and he strokes her belly.

"Do you remember anything at all?" She asks and he slides his hands towards her breasts. She pulls away from him but Draco presses his lips softly on her shoulder and her breath grows labored. Thinking that she is finally calming down, Draco tries to turn her around and almost staggers back in shock.

Her face is red and her forehead is drenched with sweat. Her eyes are burning into his and his hands are still on her hips. The most surprising thing is that her eyes are wet. There are no tracks of tears on her cheeks but they are definitely wet and her lips are pinched.

He stares at her, surprise coloring his face and she pushes him away with soft yet firm hands.

"What-" He starts but she cuts him off, "Cut it out Draco. What's even the point of saying anything to you?" Her voice breaks off at the end and he stares some more.

"I don't understand." He whispers, still confused as to why she was behaving so strongly.

"And you never will. I wonder why I even married you when you already had a wife." She snaps at him, her voice uneven.

At her words, he gapes incredulously at her, "Wife. I have never even had a girl friend except you, leave alone a wife."

She closes her eyes and breathes deeply as if trying to control her fury. After a couple of minutes when she opens her eyes again, her green eyes are calm and steady, "You don't understand what I say. You don't understand what I want and it's not like I am a very demanding person. I had wanted to lead a balanced life - but now I think that it was useless. I am going to accept that contract with Tom Marvolo Riddle. It would require me to stay away from here for days at a stretch. At least that will prevent you from accusing me of doing nothing."

Draco stares at her, dread settling in his stomach. Tom was an year senior to them in Hogwarts and had had an eye on Harry ever since he had met her in the train. Tom was probably the only boy in his year who had no girlfriend. At times, he would talk to Harry and invite her for lunch or dinner at some posh restaurant but other than that, he had no interest in any other woman in the entire school.

Their common passion for potion making didn't help anything. They would spend a lot of time together in the potions lab that Severus had reserved for his special students.

"You don't need to do that. I-" Draco starts while simultaneously trying to pull Harry towards him.

But Harry snaps furiously at him, "Forget it. I will sleep in some other room now onwards. At least that will keep you from assaulting me after every five minutes." and then pulls back before getting out of the bed altogether.

"Assaulting!" Draco snaps right back at her but she is already at the door.

"Fuck." He hisses after she slams the door behind her.

XXXX

 


	3. Lost

_**Chapter-3** _

_**Lost** _

The silence in the dining room is... palpable. That's the only word that comes into Draco's mind to describe it. Harry is sitting with mum.

"I don't want you to collaborate with Riddle." Draco slams his spoon on his plate before muttering.

Harry ignores him. She ignores him completely.

"How are the apple pancakes today mother?" She addresses mum instead and Draco stares, wondering when did Harry start calling his mum 'mother'.

"Wonderfully delicious darling." Mother smiles and father whispers, "Indeed. You get better every day. They are perfect."

But father knows about Riddle. Why is he not objecting to this. Draco wonders and looks at his father for help. There is a frown on his face but when father notices him staring, the frown converts into blankness and Draco doesn't understand why everyone is behaving like this.

"Stop ignoring me Harry." He hisses at his wife and she glares at him, "I have a long day today. Kindly don't spoil my morning. You are already late. Just leave. Let me have my breakfast on peace."

For a few moments, he stares. The days when she requested him to keep at least his weekends off are long past gone. Now she doesn't even ask him to return on time.

"Don't talk to me like this. Keep your tone down Harry." He snaps at her and she snaps right back, "I wasn't even speaking to you. Will you just let me be?"

"I was just saying that I don't want you to become his partner. He will manipulate you."

"The point of manipulation doesn't even arise. He had made it clear that I will sell my potions in my own name, that he-"

Draco raises his hand to stop her and mutters, "I don't have time for this. I have a meeting in five minutes. Don't meet him."

"I am leaving in ten minutes to meet him and most probably I will leave today for Glasgow after lunch." Harry mutters before taking a stop of her juice. The calm and adamant voice that she uses infuriates him and he looks coldly at her, "I am warning you Harry. Don't meet him."

"I am meeting him. Get lost." She replies curtly and gets up after wiping her face.

"If you would just tell me about that bloody thing that I still don't remember-"

"REMEMBER. I WILL TELL YOU... YOU HORRIBLE MAN. WAIT. I WILL TELL YOU." She screams at him, her face red with fury. She is practically vibrating. To say that Draco is shocked is a bloody understatement. He is speechless. Harry has never been so angry at him. Never.

When she returns back, her breathe is rapid and her eyes are wet. She has two wrapped packages in her hand and her chest is heaving.

She has not even reached the table when she throws the first one at him.

"Harry." It's mother who whispers in alarm. Father simply shakes his head and stares. Draco, being the best seeker of his batch simply lifts his hand and catches it.

"BLOODY HAPPY FIRST MARRIAGE ANNIVERSARY." She screams at him and throws the second pack at him before screaming at him, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

Damn. Draco almost hisses. Almost. How could he have forgotten it? It slipped his mind completely. He opens his mouth and then closes it again. He has no words in his defense really except a meager, "I had meeting-"

"You always do." Her voice is hoarse from the screaming that she was doing so she can't really scream. From the corner of his eye, he notices that father wants to snap at him but is managing to control himself. Mother is lost in her thoughts though.

"Excuse me." Mother whispers softly and takes her leave. Father doesn't and a minute later Draco is relieved that he hadn't because Harry picks up a glass and smashes it on the table. It breaks and Harry's hands start bleeding.

"Har- Harry, what the -" He starts and Harry glares at him, her hand trembling and her eyes pained, "Don't come near me. Don't."

Draco sits back down because Harry is being really angry and irrational at the moment.

When father stands up and walks towards her, Draco is sure that he will scold her but he simply takes Harry's trembling hand in his and whispers, "Did you need to do this? You shouldn't hurt yourself for his mistakes."

He flicks his fingers on the cut and Harry moans in pain, tears streaming down her eyes. A moment later, the cut is gone and she whispers, "Sorry. I- I have to get ready. I have to meet him-"

"Can I come with you. This is the very first meeting you are having and I don't want him to have an upper hand over you." Father whispers and Harry nods, her eyes elated before murmuring, "Thank you so much."

That being said, she walks away and Draco stares. Suddenly everything has changed and he doesn't know when it really did. Father seems to have become Harry's father and mum seems to have become her mother. They don't talk to Draco at all.

Draco stays on his chair expecting his father to admonish him. Father simply looks at him and speaks blankly, "I can't blame you for all this. I blame myself. I committed a big mistake in my life and just now I have started regretting it, now when Narcissa has no expectations from me. Mark my words son, I won't let Harry suffer like my unfortunate wife did. If you don't amend your ways, you will soon find yourself divorced and Harry out of your life."

"Father-" Draco starts, his heart beating rapidly. Father is not really scolding him. Father is warning him as if he has already taken his decision.

"No." Father murmurs, his hand raised in front of Draco, "No excuses." and then he simply leaves in the direction mother had.

Draco sighs and wipes his face before apparating to his office. He is already so bloody late. He doesn't have time for all this.

XXXX

To say that Lucius is worried is an understatement. He is worried about Harry because he knows that the girl loves his son and he knows that she will never leave him. He is also worried for Narcissa because it isn't like her to walk away like this. So he walks towards his room. 

On entering, he finds Narcissa bent over a trunk on their bed, her eyes wet. He freezes at the entryway in shock. He has never witnessed Narcissa weeping, not even when he had practically shouted at her and scolded her for nothing. 

When she notices his presence, she looks at him and wipes her eyes, before placing a wrapped package inside the trunk.

"These belong to you, Lucius. I have kept them for long enough." She whispers and gets up, walking slowly towards him, her eyes straight ahead, away from his.

"Cissa, what-" He murmurs and tries to stop her. She shakes her head and whispers, "I want to read. Please remove yourself from my way." Her voice breaks while she says this. 

He gets aside and she walks out of the room. He walks towards the trunk and settles down beside it. It's quite large. When he glances inside it, he can only stare. There are several wrapped packs and cards in it. He picks some and notices that they are for his birthdays or their past marriage anniversaries

He had never realized that she had been bringing gifts for him. Initially, he had just forgotten the dates because of his work and then later on, he had started ignoring the dates all-together. 

Helplessly, he stares inside the trunk, not knowing what to do. 

He has wealth, respect, power, everything that money can buy. But it seems useless now. He has enough money to last ten lifetimes but what use is it if he can't keep his wife happy. He can't buy Narcissa's happiness or their lost years. 

XXXX

 


	4. Lion and the lamb... who is the lion and who is the lamb?

 

**_Chapter-4_ **

**_Lion and the lamb... who is the lion and who is the lamb?_ **

Despite what Draco thinks, Harry is not really stupid. She knows that Riddle is interested in her. She has always known it. He is a bastard. She knows this as well. She is not as innocent and easy to manipulate as she seems. But she doesn't have any experience with these kind of deals. That's the only reason she agrees to Lucius being present in the meeting.

She just wants to be away from Draco. It is maddening to wait for him for nights at a stretch. He has started taking her for granted. When she wants something, he is always tired, which is understandable considering that he doesn't even eat his lunch in peace. He takes most of the dinners at his office too. Merlin knows what rubbish he eats over there. She has stopped caring but lately, he has become even more aggressive.

So she has decided to stay away from the man. At least, it will save her the headache he gives her. She knocks on the door and it is opened a couple of minutes later by an elf.

"Master Tom is being inside. Please follow me."

Riddle manor is beautiful, to say the least. It is rumored that Riddle's mother was broke but his father, in spite of being a muggle was quite rich and that he left the manor to Riddle.

Everything that the manor has, be it curtains, furniture or carpets, is exquisite. Riddle is as passionate for potion making as Harry is and she knows that he can help her expand her business all over the world.

All she has to do is visit different countries with him to promote their potions. They will sell their potions in their own name and will share the expenses that  are incurred on these visits. The synergy benefits that they will enjoy by doing this will be enormous.

After a couple of visits, she doesn't think that she will need him to accompany her though. She only needs to get started. She needs to watch his strategy and she doesn't want Draco's help at all.

Not that her husband has time for her. He would rather that she leave potion making all-together.

She finds him sitting in the sitting room. It's large and the couches are comfortable.

He smiles at her when their eyes meet but when his eyes fall on Lucius, he frowns. His eyebrows furrow with irritation and she can't help but smirk. She likes this game. The way he has always tried to compel her to sleep with him. He wants her desperately and she likes defeating him in his own game.

Collaborating in this project was Riddle's idea and she had denied it at first. She knew that he had proposed it because this way, they will have to travel together and he thinks that he can manipulate her if she is alone.

She had denied because Draco despised him but now... now, to the hell with what Draco wants. She wants to stay away from Draco and his over-busy life and this is the only way to do it.

"Hello Harry, Mr. Malfoy." The way he smiles at her and purrs her name makes her smirk. His over confidence is so amusing.

"Hello Tom." She whispers and flutters her eyelashes a bit. He stares at her, desire etched in every part of his body.

He keeps on staring at her until Lucius mutters, "Mr. Riddle. Shall we start?"

They sit down and Tom asks his elves to bring drinks for them. Harry doesn't touch anything. Who knows what it's spiked with.

She smiles at him and he almost swoons.

"So Mr. Riddle... what will be the percentage of sharing the expenses?" Lucius, being Lucius gets straight to the point.

"I was thinking it should be fifty-" Tom starts, his eyes on Harry's lips and Harry licks them a bit before pressing her teeth in her lower lip.

"I was thinking that perhaps you could bear eighty five percent initially, seeing that I am just starting and won't earn profits at first. Of course, we'll share fifty once I start earning..."

Harry trails off and looks innocently at Tom who is still staring at her lips. His body screams 'desire' and she smiles. He nods and Lucius mutters, "So it's decided then, Mr. Riddle. We should take our leave."

This being said, they stand up, Harry's lips upturn in a smirk.

"But I am leaving for Glasgow in an hour so maybe she should come with me." Riddle murmurs, his eyes boring into Harry's. She knows that he has taken her act for what it is... a challenge. Now, he knows that she won't be manipulated by him and that she won't think twice before turning the tables around.

She hopes that he will back off. 

"Sure." She murmurs and turns to look at Lucius. His eyes are a bit disturbed.

"Come on father." She whispers and they apparate to their home.

Once inside, he murmurs, "Do you know what you are doing? Riddle is known to be ruthless. He is rumored to be immoral and heartless."

"Immoral and ruthless yes but no-one is heartless and don't worry. I won't let him hurt me." She reassures him and he sighs before murmuring, "Take care and don't hesitate to ask me for any kind of help you need."

She nods and whispers, "I am booking tickets for you and mother for Bahamas. They are one way of course."

He stares at her in surprise before murmuring, "But Narcissa won't agree."

"Tell her that it's an early anniversary gift from me. She can't refuse me." She says and smiles before turning around to leave to pack her bags. She has just an hour.

At the top of the stairs, she turns around to look at Lucius and finds him a bit lost in his thoughts. She smiles and walks towards her room.

XXXX


	5. Solitude

**_Chapter-5_ **

**_Solitude_ **

Draco returns to an almost empty manor. Almost because father and mother are on the entryway, their bags packed.

"Where are you going?" He asks after clearing his throat a bit. Atleast father looks at him. Mother doesn't bother at all. She is busy talking to the elf about something.

"Bahamas. Harry booked tickets for us." Father replies and Draco stares before muttering, "Are you going for some meeting that I don't know about?"

Father shakes his head, his eyes exasperated before replying, "Everything doesn't revolve around our business Draco. We are going on a vacation. It has been a very long time since I took Narcissa somewhere."

After staring at him for good three minutes, Draco blinks his eyes before averting them, "All right. Is Harry inside?"

"No. She has gone to Glasgow with Riddle." Father says and Draco stares at him.

"I told her-" Father cuts him very rudely and turns towards mother, "Come Cissa. We'll get late."

Mother turns towards father and smiles, her eyes a bit excited. But she doesn't look at Draco which makes him desperate for her attention.

"Mother." He whispers but mother simply walks hand in hand with father out of the entry way and they apparate from a bit of distance.

Draco sighs and stares at the place where they had just stood before entering the manor. 

Elves serve dinner and he eats silently, missing Harry. Slowly, their marriage is falling apart. They haven't spoken to each other since morning. Not that they had spoken to each other in the morning too. Quarreled more like.

Having nothing to do, he walks inside his bedroom. It's beyond midnight and there is no point of waiting any longer.

Five minutes later, he finds himself underneath his blanket, in his briefs, wondering why he had forgotten his anniversary. Before marriage, it hadn't been like this. But then, he had not had the burden of handling such a large business.

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn't even realize when he falls asleep. When he feels someone enter inside the wards, he blinks his eyes and yawns. After casting nox he realizes that only half an hour has passed.

He waits for a few minutes but when he hears the door open, he closes his eyes. He doesn't want to fight with her. She must be tired and there is no point. So he keeps his eyes closed for a few moments until he stops feeling her gaze on him.

He opens one eye a bit and notices her taking off her clothes.

Bloody hell... she is beautiful. She opens her shirt and folds it before placing it on the dresser and then her skirt follows the shirt. His eyes rove from hit neck to her pert and still covered hips. She opens her bra and and sighs before taking her panty off too. Blood rushes in his groin and his cock twitches. She is hot and he wishes to take her in his arms.

He wishes to kiss her beautiful and unblemished skin until she is squirming in his arms. Alas! she is angry with him and when she is angry, there is point of trying to reason with her. She retreats inside the bathroom and Draco tries to will his erection away. A few seconds later, she returns in a shirt which is just covering her hips, humming to herself.

After switching the lights off, she crawls underneath the blanket and sighs before turning so that her back faces him.

Unable to stop the urge, he shifts a bit closer to her and touches her shoulders. She tries to pull away so he presses a bit insistently but silently.

"I knew that you were awake. Don't think that you can fool me Draco." She murmurs and he sighs before taking his hand away from her person, "Then why did you-"

"Nothing you haven't already seen. After all I did follow you like your bitch throughout our last two years, a well trained bitch. I jumped in delight at every word you said and fulfilled every little demand of yours." She says and he swallows, realizing that she is really very furious at him.

He stays silent and moves closer to her until her back is flush against his front. He wraps a hand around her waist and places a soft kiss on her shoulder. His manhood presses against her full hips and twitches in attention.

"As long as I am your bitch you are happy, eh Draco and when I dare to speak up, it starts irritating you." She mutters, too still in his arms. This is the first sign that she is going to blast, that he should back off. But he has always been a bit of an idiot because he caresses her belly and presses a small kiss on the nape of her neck.

He doesn't even realize that she has been unbuttoning her shirt until very suddenly, she turns around and glares at him. Her left breast is exposed by her sudden moment and he stares at it. She is perfect and how he wishes to take her full breast in his mouth.

To his utter shock, she places a hand on his head and pulls it towards the exposed nipple of her breast.

He has no choice but to take it between his lips.

"You want me to be your bitch Draco. Is that what you want?" She murmurs but gives him no opportunity to answer. She pulls his head until he has taken as much of her breast as he can inside his mouth. He closes his eyes and tries to push away from her. But she doesn't let him.

"If you had married me for sex, then I wonder why you married me at all. I didn't wait for marriage, did I? You got it enough without trapping yourself with me."

It's getting suffocating for Draco. He would love to make love to her but not like this, not when she thinks that sex is all he wants. But there is no point of arguing with her when she is like this.

He places his hands on hers behind his head and takes them gently away and then pulls away. Her nipple is wonderfully erect and ready to be sucked and nipped at but her eyes are wet. That wetness makes him pull back and really look at her.

She is not the kind of person who cries much. Even in the hardest circumstances, she keeps her tears at bay. He wonders since when she has been accumulating all this inside her. He wants her to vent it out but she doesn't.

He stares at her and waits but she doesn't speak. Her breast is still exposed and her eyes are so bright and pained that he can't look into them. Her eyes have always been too expressive, too easy to read. He doesn't know what to do, how to soothe her. Very gently, he buttons her shirt up and pushes farther away from her after placing the blanket over both of them.

"Go to Sleep, Harry." He looks into her green eyes until they close and he keeps on staring until her lips part a bit, proving that she has fallen asleep, wondering exactly where he went wrong... what happened to them.

XXXX

 


	6. Break Off

_**Chapter-6** _

_**Break off** _

"Hello Tom." Tom hears even before he has opened the door of the room he has provided to Dumbledore. The world believes that the man is dead. Of course, he isn't. Tom has hidden Dumbledore in his manor. Tom will never understand this man. Dumbledore knows that Tom is just biding his time. He is waiting to capture Harry. She is really a bloody sneak. She gave him no opportunity to capture her. It was really frustrating.

"Hello." He whispers and closes the door.

Dumbledore looks up from the huge tome of book and mutters softly, "Have you brought her?"

Tom shakes his head in denial and mutters defensively, "Very soon I will bring her and then I will use both of you to become the most powerful wizard of this world."

To his annoyance, the stupid man smiles kindly at him, "Why did you not bring young Harry today, though. She was with you in Glasgow."

"She didn't give me any opportunity." Tom replies and averts his eyes from the man, gazing out of the window.

"Stop lying to yourself Tom. You can't really fool me."

"I am Lord Voldemort. You-" Tom manages to hiss at the man. He doesn't understand why he didn't capture her today. He bloody had the opportunity.

"You will always be Tom for me." The man says and resumes reading his book.

"I didn't have any opportunity-" He mutters again but the man ignores him.

"I DIDN'T." He says a bit loudly but Dumbledore doesn't look at him. The bloody stupid old wizard had suggested him to use Harry as his other subject stating that the woman was really very powerful in regards to magic. She has to be. She is a Potter.

"Dumbledore." His hisses and his eyes flash in annoyance. But the wizard doesn't look at him.

"Senile old man." He hisses at him storms out of the room, remembering to lock the room behind him.

In the haze of his fury, he doesn't notice the wizard's eyes twinkling at him.

XXXX

Draco wakes up in the middle of the night when he feels fingers fighting with his shirt. When he opens his eyes, he finds Harry trying to open a couple of buttons. She is still sleeping and has a troubled look on her face. The blanket is not covering her and she is shivering from cold,her cheeks on his chest. The blanket has fallen down.

He sighs and his heart clenches. She really does love him. 

"Ugggh." She mutters and Draco flicks his fingers. The shirt disappears all together. He shivers. It's really cold. So he accios the blanket and places it on them. It's nice to have her in his arms. She sighs audibly and burrows on his chest, her arms wrapping around his middle.

He presses a small kiss on her head and wraps his arm around her slim body. He doesn't know where he is going wrong. He doesn't know how to save their marriage. He really doesn't want to-

All his thoughts fly away and he throws his head back, biting his lower lip hard to stop himself from moaning because apparently Harry wants to play with his nipples. The woman is stroking his right one with her thumb. She is asleep and he is hard. 

Unable to control himself anymore, he moves and very gently, he turns her so that she is lying on her back. He settles on his side on his elbow and stares at her perfect body. The blanket is lying in a heap at her foot.

He places his fingertips on her breasts which are unfortunately covered with her shirt. She doesn't wake up and so feeling a bit bolder, places his palm on her left breast. He closes his eyes as blood rushes to his groin. It has been such a long time.

He slides his hand to her other breast and then her stomach. He yearns to remove her shirt but he knows that she won't want him to. So he settles for caressing her belly and then her groin. Unable to control the urge, he bends down, his hands on her breasts and he places his lips on her clothed groin and kisses it softly.

To his utter shock, his lips touch her skin and he can't help but suck it softly between his lips. She smells so good. He nuzzles the warm skin of her groin and is so bloody beautiful and he really really wants to make love to her. He needs her so much but then the realization that she was not naked earlier and that now she is, hits him and he lifts his head to find her staring at him with defeated eyes.

She spreads her legs and and his mouth waters. He knows that her clitoris is sensitive and he can imagine her delicious groans and moans when he will lick it with the tip of his tongue. 

But her eyes suggest that she doesn't want it. This posture is really submissive, which she is not. Oh yes, she loves it when he presses her on the bed and fucks her to oblivion but she participates in it. His silencing charms become necessary because she is very vocal about her desires.

This is not what his Harry is like when she wants him to make love to her and so there is no point.

He sits up and stretches his legs after resting his back against the headboard.

He tries to will his erection away but her beautiful and naked body is not really helping.

XXXX

Harry mutters in annoyance, "Why did you stop? Get it done with. At least I will be able to sleep peacefully. You could have taken me before sleeping. You didn't need to wake me in the middle of the night for this."

"Wear something Harry. I can't-"

"You wanted it. You woke me up. Get it over with now." She presses impatiently and tries to control her rising fury. This is ridiculous. She has to get up early tomorrow and she has to leave for Glasgow again.

"It was you who wanted my shirt off. It was you who wanted to sleep on my chest. You-"

Harry shoots up and glares at him before snapping angrily, "I don't need to take someones permission to sleep on my husband's chest or perhaps I should book an appointment for that too."

He stares at her. His eyes drop at her breasts and he mutters, "I don't need permission to love my wife, then. You-"

"I am asking you to take what you want, Draco. What else do you need me to do. Shall I beg you to fuck me. Just get it over with."

She is not really surprised. He is always busy these days. He has time for just sex or fighting with her. She is not really stopping him. Why is he wasting her time like this? Its the middle of the night and she wants to sleep.

He stares at her with stunned eyes before murmuring, "I want to make love to you. I don't just want to fuck you."

"You need to love me for making love to me. It's fucking that you want, not love. You made love to me when we were unmarried. These days, you just fuck me and will you just stop- stop this futile discussion. I am not stopping you, am I? Just do what you want and get it done with. Stop assaulting me in the middle of the night. I have to wake up early. I have to leave for Glasgow tomorrow." She snaps impatiently at him.

"You-" Draco starts but he is cut off by the sound of opening of the door. It takes only a second for him to cover Harry with a blanket. Thank Merlin for that. Harry closes her eyes in relief.

"Oh! I am so sorry." Says the intruder and closes the door immediately. When Harry realizes that it's Tom, her eyes shoot open and fury peaks. She is practically trembling with rage. Her eyes are boring into Draco's. He is angry too but he is looking knowingly at her as if he had known all along that this would happen.

"Why did you not cast any locking or silencing charms?" She asks in a barely restrained voice.

"No-one was at home except us. I don't know why elves let him in." He murmurs. Harry can see that his hands are clenched and his eyes are flashing.

"I wonder Harry... how dare he enter our bedroom? I wonder if you permitted him or asked the elves to let him in. After all, you were gone the whole day yesterday." He murmurs and Harry breathes hard before staring incredulously at him, "You are saying that I am sleeping with him just because I was gone for  _one_  day for a business trip. You are always gone. We have barely spoken to each other during last few months. Yet, I never suspected you of cheating on me."

"Then why will he-" Draco starts coldly and Harry yells, "Fuck you."

"Harry-"

"Fuck you Draco. Fuck you. I never cheated on you. In fact, I caught you kissing Parkinson a couple of times when you were drunk at Hogwarts but I never even looked at anyone else. In-fact I think that I should have married Tom instead of you. At least he won't have accused me of sleeping around." She hisses at him. Her voice is breaking off. She is angry at Tom for barging inside her bedroom but at least now she knows what Draco thinks of her.

"Listen to me, Harry-"

She cuts him off in a trembling voice, "This is what you think of me. You think I will whore around just because my husband doesn't care about me anymore. You might have married me so that you can have Potter genes in your future generations but I love you. I always have. He wants to date me. He has not said anything yet but I know. Perhaps I should say yes... perhaps it's time we end this farce marriage and move on."

He stares at her and her chest heaves as a lone tear trickles down her cheeks. She blinks hard and doesn't allow herself to cry. Crying is foolish and she won't sink so low.

"Listen.... I am sorry. Just calm down." He murmurs, trying to quell her fury but she breathes hard and gets up.

"Fuck you. I won't calm down now. This is an absolute limit. I am leaving for Glasgow and don't expect me to return for a week. I will just rent out a room in some hotel." She snaps at him, trying to breath through the lump that has settled in her throat.

"Merlin! I said that I am sorry. He could have seen you naked. I had barely three seconds Harry. I was upset. It slipped out of my mouth." He insists impatiently and touches her shoulder as she starts throwing her clothes in her trunk.

"No.... it's enough. I came to spend a bit of time with you. I was wrong to have thought so. I am leaving and won't be back for a week at least. I will shower in Glasgow. I can't tolerate another second of you." She murmurs and closes her trunk. 

It takes her three minutes to get dressed in a trouser and shirt. She will deal later with Tom. Right now, she needs some peace and solitude. 

"Harry, please wait." Draco calls her as she storms outside their bedroom in the direction the trembling elves point her.

There she finds Tom standing in front of the fire, his face pale. He tries to come near her and touches her shoulder, apologizing, "I am sorry. I didn't know-" and she blasts. She drops her trunk and slaps him hard on his face before hissing furiously, "I will kill you if you come between Draco and me, the contract be damned."

"Harry-"

"Mrs. Potter-Malfoy. Call me Mrs. Potter-Malfoy. Don't address me by my first name ever again." She yells at him, her face red and her entire frame trembling with fury. 

The glasses and plates kept on the table start shaking and so do the lamps and flower pots. 

Her chest heaves as she walks forward to slap him again.

"Harry, please calm down. Nothing will-" This is Draco. She whirls around and strides towards him before screaming into his face, her breasts pressing against his chest and her nails digging on his shoulders, "Fuck you. Fuck you for accusing me of sleeping around. Just fucking leave me alone for a second."

"ALL RIGHT." He yells because he needs to. Everything is shaking around the room and her fury is only growing. Her eyes are flashing into his.

"Mrs. Potter-Malfoy, I apologize. The elves asked me not to disturb you but I insisted. I had a good news and thought that you need to know. Please calm down. I know you asked me not to enter your manor without asking you. I am really sorry."

Tom's voice is tight and uncomfortable. It must be killing him to apologize but she doesn't reply to him. She doesn't reply in any way.

She only glares at Draco, her Nails digging in his skin. He stares into her eyes for a few more seconds before speaking softly, "I am sorry." and she removes her hands from his person before backing off. 

The resulting silence is sudden and deafening. 

There are sudden POPS of apparition and they turn around to see Lucius and Narcissa walking towards them from the direction of their bedroom, dressed in nightclothes.

"What's the matter? We felt the wards ringing. Narcissa thought that someone was trying to snap them." Lucius drawls and looks between her and Draco's naked chest and then at Tom who is staring unblinkingly at the fire. Narcissa looks at Harry's tear-streaked and red face and her eyes grow furious. She glares at her son, who averts his eyes away from them.

"Please ask Draco. I am done over here. I have to leave." She murmurs and apparates right on spot, not even bothering to talk to Tom, her trunk in her hand.

XXXX

 


	7. Yearning

**_Chapter-7_ **

**_Yearning_ **

Harry apparates to the hotel she had rented a room in the previous day and storms angrily towards the reception.

"Yes. Miss. How can we help you?" The receptionist asks her and she replies as calmly as she can, "I want a room for three days and two nights."

The receptionist nods and gives the keys to Harry.

Harry is trembling. It's not as if she didn't want it. It's not as if she is not dying to make love to Draco. She wipes her eyes and unlocks the door.

It's not as if every part of her body is not yearning for her husband. But, how long can she let this go on.

Everything was going fine today. They were talking and could have made up. She misses him so much. Why else will she return for just a night. It will be much easier to rent out a room in the city she is in.

Frustrated. That's what she is, mentally and sexually. She swallows as she washes her face and looks at herself in the mirror.

She needs him so much. Why else will she wear just a bloody shirt before sleeping. They were finally talking. Then Tom just had to intrude. She is such an idiot. Why did she claim to stay away for an entire week when she can't stay away for a single night.

He has always had an upper hand in their relationship. She has always felt that she loves him but he doesn't.

But then she doesn't care because the thing is that she can't live without him. She couldn't in Hogwarts and she can't now.

What will she do in this bloody empty room when she needs him. Why can't she control her bloody temper. It could have been so easy to finish the quarrel and make love to him as they always did.

Why did she have to lose her patience now.

She sobs as she stares at her tear-streaked face in the mirror.

Why can't he follow her for once? Why can't he trust her for once? Why can't he need her as she needs him... for once?

Her fingers are trembling as they cup her breasts and brush against her tight nipples. She had had his hands on her just a few minutes back. It had almost been like he loves her.

She squeezes her bosom and closes her eyes, trying to imagine his hands instead of hers.

He had nuzzled her groin and it had almost been as if he had needed her too.

Her hands shake with need as they unbutton her trouser and it pools on the floor and her panty follows it. She caresses the skin which he had sucked.

Eyes closed, she slips her finger inside her vagina and touches her clitoris, trying to imagine his tongue instead of her finger.

Tears escape her eyes because it's just not the same. It's nowhere near and she needs him so bloody much. It's practically painful and she will have to go back if this continues. She can't concentrate on her work like this.

Sobbing, she returns to the bedroom after wearing her panty and trouser and settles inside the blanket for a restless night. She will deal with Tom in the morning. He will not get away after ruining her night like this.

After tossing and turning for about ten minutes, she gets up.

It's so bloody pathetic. Wiping off her eyes, she gets out of the bed and accios all her belongings. She puts them in her trunk and closes it before apparating right on spot.

XXXX

Draco stares as Riddle disappears immediately after Harry does. He wonders why the elves let Riddle in their room. He will have to ask them.

"I can't talk about it Narcissa. He isn't a child. This will be interference. This is something he should understand without being told about." Father is murmuring softly to Narcissa.

"As you wish -"

"It's not about what I wish. How can I tell him how he needs to behave with his wife. What should I tell him? I don't know. I have never been an ideal husband. I don't want to say something that destroys their relationship. I can't take the risk."

Draco turns around and is surprised to see father holding mother's hands gently in his as he says, "Why don't you try to explain him? "

"He has only ever heard you. He will not listen to me. He never does." Mother mutters, her eyes looking into father's.

Draco is surprised. Father has never behaved like this with mother. As far as Draco has seen, father has been negligent, stern and domineering.

"He will listen to you. He loves you. You have to try. He loves you more than he loves me."

Draco stares as father says this. He is stunned to hear this. That father would admit it is a shock.

"That's not true." Mother murmurs. It's like they have forgotten that he is standing in the same room as them.

"It is. He told me himself when he was young. You have to try. You have always tried to make him understand in your own way." Father says and as Draco leaves them alone, he hears mother say that she will try once they return from their vacations.

Draco feels like an arse for disturbing their holiday.

A few moments later, he feels mother and father leave the wards and he closes his eyes, trying to sleep on his bed that seems too empty without her.

XXXX

When Draco wakes up again, he realizes that just two hours have elapsed. He blinks his eyes a couple of times and rubs them to get rid of the remnants of sleep. He gets up and drags his arse to the shower to get ready.

The moment he enters the bathroom, his eyes widen in shock. Harry is sitting inside the shower stall, drenched in cold water. She has wrapped her arms around her knees and has placed her head on them. She is shivering from cold and is sniffing continuously. Her clothes are completely wet and when he gasps, she blinks and stares at him with her red-rimmed eyes.

By the looks of it, she has stayed here in the bathroom, drenched in cold water for the past two hours. A bit of water is still dripping from the shower onto her hair.

She sobs and sniffs when their eyes meet. It takes a few moments for him to come out of his shocked stupor and hurry towards her hunched, shivering body.

"Damn." He mutters when he opens the door of the shower stall. So much cold water and she is just sitting on it.

"Harry, what- how did you come here? You said that you won't return for a week." He murmurs and kneels on his knees in front of her.

She is glaring at him, her body quivering.

"Harry." He murmurs softly and very gently he pulls her in his arms and places her face on his shoulder.

To his utter shock, she nuzzles the junction of his neck and shoulder and then bites him hard.

"Bloody sweet merlin." He curses and tries to pull her face away from his neck.

"Ngggh. No." She whispers almost desperately and her behavior is really really beyond him. Her knees that are almost pressing her chest part and spread apart and she wraps her arms around his middle. He stumbles on her and breathes hard when she kisses his neck and bites his sensitive skin again. Her shivering reduces a bit because he is warm and she is so so cold.

Over the long period they have known each other, she has never behaved like this. So he can't really comprehend as to what is happening to her.

He hears a knock on the bathroom door and mutters, "Yes."

"Master Draco. Mr. Mathews is being here." Blissy murmurs and suddenly Harry's arms tighten around him. The position is bloody uncomfortable. He is still sitting on his knees between Harry's trembling legs, their upper bodies pressed against each other and his hands are resting on the wall on either side of Harry's head.

"Harry, what's the-" He starts and Blissy cuts him off, "Master Draco, Blissy is sorry but Mr. Mathews is being insistent."

He grits his teeth in annoyance. Why can't he be left alone with his wife for sometime. She is clearly not fine and he needs to be with her.

"Ask him to wait. Tell him that I am busy." He says loudly and whispers in Harry's ears, "You are shivering. Let me take you to bed. You will catch fever Harry."

She doesn't reply and places her wet cheeks on his shoulders.

"Mr. Mathews is not being listening to me Master Draco. He is being saying that Brazilian delegates are being there in office to meet you regarding your new project. He is being saying that it's very very urgent."

Draco's fury flares at these words and he has to close his eyes to control himself.

"Don't leave." These words are spoken very softly and he freezes. How can Harry think that he would leave her while she is so unwell.

"I am not leaving. But you are cold and you must allow me to take you to bed. Two hours Harry. That's just a hunch because you left two hours earlier. Why didn't you sleep on our bed? I don't understand." He mutters and she sobs on her shoulders before sneezing.

He places his hand on her forehead and gasps.

"Bloody hell. You are burning. Let me pick you up. All right." He speaks softly and Blissy repeats, " Master Draco, Mr. Mathews-"

"ASK THAT GOD-DAMNED BASTARD TO CALL FATHER AND ASK HIM TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. I AM BUSY WITH MY WIFE. ASK HIM NOT TO DISTURB ME." He shouts, his temper catching up with him.

 _Here, I am so bloody worried about Harry_ , he thinks as he picks Harry's trembling and wet body in his arms, "-and all he can think of is the bloody deal. Why don't they approach father for once. Retired at bloody forty two. Severus is still brewing and selling his potions." The last few words are spoken loud by him. He can't keep it inside him anymore.

"Ok Master Draco." Blissy mutters and he can feel the smile on the little elf's face. His elves love Harry. Of course, they do. She never raises her voice on them and she is always so full of life. He doesn't understand what has happened lately to her and she won't tell him.

_Sleeping under a running shower at bloody 3 A.M. It makes no sense at all._

He places her feet on the floor and casts a few drying charms on her before casting silencing and locking charms on the door.

She is half asleep on her feet as she holds his shoulders with quivering hands. She is still shivering and sniffing. Her nose is almost red. Thank god, he decided to wake up a bit early today.

With a flick of his fingers, he takes off her wet clothes and she staggers.

"Hold on for a minute." He murmurs and helps her to sit on the edge of the bed.

Her eyes are trying to focus on him and she is trying to speak but he silences her with a finger on her lips. She is naked in front of him and all he can think of is that she is cold and feverish.

He accios a night-shirt and pajama for her and helps her wear them before placing her on the bed and covering her shivering body with a couple of blankets.

Only then does he unlocks the door and removes his silencing charms and settles beside her.

She burrows inside the blankets and he strokes her hair. Her eyes-brows that were furrowed relax and he presses a soft kiss on her burning forehead.

Someone knocks on the door and he closes his eyes to maintain some semblance of patience.

"Enter." He mutters curtly and the door opens to reveal Robert Mathews. He is a Twenty seven year old young man who despises Draco.

"I told you to call father Mathews. Don't cross the line. It will gain you nothing. It won't make you the owner of this company. The ownership will pass to father if I leave." Draco glares coldly at him and is just about to continue, uncaring of his cold eyes but father's drawl stops him in his tracks.

"Draco, what's the matter. Why was I called in the middle of my vacation?" Father drawls and walks inside. Harry covers her face with the blanket as well and Draco looks at his guests with an irritated face.

"That's rich father. You-" Draco starts, an year of pent up frustration waiting to be released but father stops him. Draco understands why. They must not quarrel in front of this swine.

"Mathews, father-" Draco starts but father cuts him off, his cane hitting the floor as he towers over Mathews, "Get my office cleaned and ask the delegates to wait for me. Get them served some refreshments until I arrive. Apologize on my behalf. Thank you Robert. That will be all."

Mathews cold eyes transform into terrified once as he scurries off. Father often has this effect on people. Draco has never been able to do this. He can't terrify people by just drawling at them or looking at them in a certain way.

A few seconds later, mother is standing beside father and they come inside. As soon as the door closes, father's demeanor changes and he slumps on a chair.

Mother settles on Harry's other side silently, trying to pry the blanket away from Harry's face.

"Draco-" Father starts and Draco cuts him off, "Just take care of the delegates today. I will go back tomorrow. Harry is unwell. I didn't want to let you down father. I apologize."

Irritation flickers on father's face as he opens his mouth to say something and closes it, his eyes on mother. Draco wonders what he was about to say and why mother stopped him.

"All right, Draco." Father mutters and addresses mother, "Will you please tell me if it's anything serious?"

The words are surprising in them-self because father demands. He doesn't request anything of mother. Mother nods, her eyes startled as well, "Yes. Sure. I will. She is having fever. I will ask the elves to give some soup to her and I will give medicines to her as well."

Father leaves but on the entry-way, he looks at Draco and murmurs, "I wish you were more like your mother in certain things Draco. I wish that you realize your mistake before it's too late, unlike me."

His words confuse Draco. He doesn't understand what mistake he is talking about.

Nevertheless, he turns towards Harry, who is sleeping peacefully, her hand on Draco's thigh, her forehead pressed on his knee.

"Do you really love her?" Mother asks out of blue, her eyes keen on him and he simply stares at her, stunned speechless.

XXXX

 


	8. Hopelessness

_**Chapter-8** _

_**Hopelessness** _

"Of course, I do. What sort of a question is this mother." Draco mutters staring at her, his brows knitted in confusion.

"Lately, it seems that you love business more than her. I had never known that you were so interested in your father's business. You seemed more interested in brewing." Mother replies, her eyes curious. He doesn't know what to tell her because honestly he himself doesn't know why he took over father's business. Mother is stroking Harry's hair while talking to him.

"Have you ever thought about her. How will she manage everything alone? If both of you brew and sell your potions instead of her selling with Riddle, it would be much beneficial for both of you. You would be perfect together. You could reach the heights no-one has reached yet." She murmurs, her hands caressing Harry's hair gently.

"Have you ever thought that perhaps she needs you too and that your father can handle his business himself. Business kept him active." Mother continues and Draco stares at her.

"Have you ever thought that perhaps Riddle could harm her. He has a shady past. Now, if it had been Zabini or Weasley in his place, I wouldn't have thought so but no-one knows about his past other than the fact that his father was a muggle who left the manor to him. She is alone and the fact that we support her is not enough. She needs your support too. You don't see these things and I am afraid that it will be very late when you do." Mother whispers, her eyes sad. Draco stares some more. He is truly shocked. He had never thought about these things.

"You love brewing. In fact, I know that after Harry, brewing is your second love. She works so hard."

"But father- I can't disappoint him. I can't just back off from my responsibilities. I am his only heir and -"

"You are not a child now and I won't speak up for you. You need to take a stand and speak your mind in front of your father. He is not old and as such his forefathers handled the business in their old age as well. You have a wife and soon you'll have a child too. If you don't want to suffer what your father and I did, it's better you wake up right now and look at what is in front of you. No-one can force you to do something you don't want. You have always been stubborn, just like your father." Mother says and gets up. She smiles at Harry's sleeping face and kisses her forehead softly. The corner of her eyes crinkle as she smiles at his wife.

"It would be so much better if you just follow your heart and start your own business with her. How can she manage everything by herself? I am afraid that Riddle will manipulate her and cheat her. She is very innocent and trusts people very easily. Do you want him to cheat her and steal the money that is rightfully hers?" Mother continues. Mother rarely ever speaks much. Draco is surprised that she is speaking up now. She stares Draco down and as always succeeds in intimidating him. He swallows nervously. He had not known that she loves Harry so much.

"She is really a very good girl. We couldn't have found a better daughter-in-law if we had traveled all over the world. But we can't destroy her life just because we love her, just because she tries to fill the void that your father had created in my life. We- I can't let her stay trapped in this marriage just because I love her. I will have to talk to her about divorce if this continues. When she cries, it literally kills your us." She says. Her eyes are pained and her hands are joined in front of her dress. She is looking as regal as ever and yet so intimidating.

Draco's mother has always been very beautiful but she has also been very lonely. Draco remembers the time when he was young and she would dress up and would expect father to praise her and father would not even look at her.

Draco wonders if things would have been different if she had had a daughter too. He wonders if things would have been different if he had a little courage and stood in front of father for her.

She turns around and leaves him alone with Harry, her head held high and proud and her stride graceful as she closes the door behind her. He flicks his fingers and locks it before settling in with his wife for the deserves a day off too. It's been long since he has taken an off.

He decides to think about her words later, knowing that his later will never arrive. He can't let his father down. He has to be an ideal son and carry on the family business like all the Malfoys have done before him.

XXXX

Harry wakes up when an owl taps on her window. It's dark outside. This means that a day has elapsed and Tom must have hosted the conference by himself.

She makes a face. This way... she will not be able to promote herself.

She rubs her eyes and finds Draco's arm around her waist. His hand is inside her shirt. It's warm and it's resting on her stomach. She doesn't want to get up but the bloody owl won't stop. She decides to let it continue tapping. She wants to to revel in this pleasure of being close to him.

These days Draco doesn't spend time with her at all. She misses him so much.

TAP TAP TAP

The owl goes on and she hisses, "Ruddy owl."

Draco stirs and she places her hand on his from over her shirt.

"Harry." He yawns and continues, "An owl -"

"I don't see any owl." She mutters petulantly and presses her back against his chest. He tries to take his hand out.

"No." She mutters and he slides it towards her breast and places it there.

She sighs audibly and closes her eyes. He stays silent and so does she. She doesn't want to disturb the peace by talking to him. Talking makes things messy. He doesn't understand her and she has no hopes from him now. He nuzzles her neck and the owl starts tapping on the window yet again.

They ignore it. Draco kisses the sensitive skin of her neck. She moans softly when he circles her nipples and nips her earlobe.

He massages her right nipple and she parts her lips, moaning, "Ahhh...Draco. Please."

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP

They just continue ignoring the owl but then a knock on the door disturbs them.

"Draco." Lucius calls. Harry sighs in frustration because Draco wouldn't ignore his father.

"Yes." Draco answers.

"Mr. Smith and Mr. Landman are here. They wish to talk to you about their project." He says and Draco mutters, "I am coming in a minute."

Harry closes her eyes in frustration as he pulls back.

"Harry." He calls but Harry doesn't look at him. She just closes her eyes and hugs her pillow, frustrated. She bites the corner of her pillow to keep herself from shouting at him. There is no point. This isn't anything new.

"Harry, I will come back in a few minutes." He says and Harry nods, knowing that he won't. She won't see him for days at a stretch now. Thank merlin, she has something to do with her time too. He leaves and she flicks the window open. The owl flies inside and sits in front of her. It seems that it is glaring at her. She glares right back. She is already frustrated. She can't let an owl just add to her frustration.

A few moments later it drops the letter in front of her and flies away.

She opens it. It's sent by Tom. He is asking her to accompany her to another city. He has written that they will need to stay there for at least three days this time. She sighs and waits for Draco for another half an hour. She has no hope but still he had said that he will come back.

But he doesn't come and she closes her eyes, trying to calm herself down. She bites her wrist and even pinches her nipples. But it's just not the same. At the end, she just bites her pillow again to keep herself from screaming. She swallows a couple of times and tries her level best to kill the desire. But it's useless.

She needs him but he is not there. He is never there for her and he never will be. She will just have to get used to it.

So she gets up and gets dressed. After that, she packs her bags and leaves. She leaves a note for Draco that she will return after three days, not that he cares for anything except work.

"Hey how are you." She murmurs when she apparates in front of the hotel he had instructed her to reach. He is waiting for her.

It's around ten P.M. She steels herself. She needs to control herself. Three days. She will need to calm herself if she wants to grab business. She tries to smile at Tom.

"I am good." He replies, a smile on his handsome face. He tries to embrace her but she backs off and smiles at him but says nothing. She is not in a mood to play games with him.

She has put on a long skirt and a simple shirt. He catches up with her in a few moments and they walk quietly towards the hotel.

"You seem tensed." He whispers.

"Hmmmm. Had a bad day." She replies and then continues after a pause, "I am sorry for not being there in Glasgow with you today. How did it go?"

"It was good. I missed you." He murmurs and she smiles at him again. He looks at her, his eyes warm and soft.

"I am here now. I will be there with you for the next three days." She murmurs.

They take their respective keys from the receptionist and walk towards the rooms.

"Let me accompany you." He says. She doesn't reply but doesn't deny either.

XXXX

 


	9. Illusion

_**Chapter-9** _

_**Illusion** _

Today is the third day and Draco is anxious for her to return. He had returned quite late that night and had witnessed her teeth marks on her pillow. They suggested her desperation. He mustn't have left her like this but he couldn't just deny his father his presence.

Even now, when he has to ask father to take care of the meeting he is supposed to attend, he is feeling uncomfortable. He knocks the door of his father's study and hears him murmurs, "Enter."

Draco takes a deep breath and enters the room. His father is sitting on the table, some files in front of him. He is looking at Draco, his eyebrows raised in surprise. Draco stands in front of a chair, his hands on the headrest.

"Draco. You are back early today." Father murmurs.

Draco breathes again. He will have to make father understand. In the first place, he doesn't want to take part in this business. He understands everything but it's monotonous and not at all challenging. Draco just has to attend meetings and spout same things over and over. Rest takes care of itself.

Then in the second place, he can't completely ignore Harry for it. It's just not worth. It's clear that Harry needs him and mother is right. He will have to make father understand, if not not today or tomorrow then some day.

"Father. Harry is coming back today. Three days ago, when you had requested my presence and I had left her, she had been very distressed and upset. It's already seven and I can't spend another three hours in a meeting. I need to be home. She will be back any moment now." Draco murmurs politely.

Father looks at him with unreadable eyes for a few moments. Draco tries to understand what father is feeling right now but his face is blank.

"Then what about the meeting?" Father asks him, his voice sharp and his eyes still unreadable. His body is still.

"There is no point of keeping meetings so late at night and that too when I am not even interested-" Draco stops and wipes the bead of sweat that has come out of nowhere on his forehead. It was just a slip of tongue. Draco wants father to proud of him. He can't disappoint father like this.

"What did you say?" Father asks him, his eyes sharp and his voice curt.

Draco needs to make father understand. He has to balance things. He has to balance his life. His life has become a big mess and Draco needs to manage it now.

"I mean-" Draco says and closes his eyes before taking a long and nervous breath, "- I can't attend late night meetings now. Either you will have to attend them or we must reschedule them."

Father stares at him, his eyebrows raised in shock. Draco wonders why father is so surprised.

"Draco, you mustn't prioritize anything over your business. Business is your priority. Manage your life as you were doing it till now." Father mutters firmly, "You don't want to disappoint me Draco, you really don't. What will you do if you don't have this business. I am really doing a favour for you."

Draco wants to snap at father that he is a potions master and he can always just brew his potions and sell them. He is doing a favour for father. Father is just ruining his life. But this is not what he says.

What he says is, "Okay father. I will just attend that meeting. Harry will have to wait." in a very flat voice. He is irritated. Why doesn't father understand. Draco needs an escape. He doesn't want this bloody business. What he needs is to help his wife.

He turns around and leaves the room quietly.

XXXX

Draco doesn't witness Lucius glare behind him and slam his hand angrily on the table before grumbling to himself, "Why can't he stand up for himself for once."

Lucius could have excused him. But then this will happen again and again. Draco needs to set his priorities. He needs to understand what he really wants and he needs to do that instead of doing what Lucius wants, not that Lucius wants Draco to handle the business anymore. He can do it by himself and can manage it better than Draco is and Narcissa had expressed her desire to help Lucius in handling his business too. Draco has made a mess of everything. Oh! Surely, he is intelligent and the company is earning profits but his personal life is suffering and Draco is not putting his heart in his work because he can't. He doesn't love it like Lucius does.

Draco has always had a very mathematical mind and has always loved his potions and brewing. In fact, Draco had become a potions master despite the fact that Lucius had forbidden him.

Now Lucius is really really worried for Harry. He had asked someone to spy on Riddle for him. His spy told him today that the man is hiding someone in his manor. There is no way of knowing who it is but there is someone. The man had also said that Riddle is upto something. He has a plan and there is no one except Riddle himself who knows about it. Even Riddle's elves don't know or perhaps they are forbidden to say anything and all Draco is doing is handle this giant business when he isn't even interested in doing it.

Lucius rotates his chair and stares outside the window, his chin on his folded hands. Another terrifying thing is that he had seen desire in Riddle's eyes, desire for his daughter-in-law. But he couldn't simply deny the girl something she really wants to do. That will mean that he doesn't trust her which he does.

He just doesn't trust Riddle. No-one knows about his past.

Lucius closes his eyes and sighs deeply. He is waiting for the day when Draco will tell him that he won't carry this burden anymore.

XXXX

Draco looks at the time. The meeting has just finished. He is tired and hungry and frustrated. Harry must have slept by now.

"Mr. Malfoy sir." Mart says and Draco snaps at him, "What is it now? The meeting is over. Everyone has left. Will you just leave me alone." He is just really really so frustrated.

Mart trembles and his eyes look scared. Draco sighs and mutters politely, "What is it Mart? I am tired. Please leave. Don't you have your family to look after? It's late. Go home. Office hours were over three hours ago. I was supposed to attend the meeting. You didn't have to attend it with me. You had already gotten everything ready. Why must you work after office hours?"

Mart looks at him with tired and surprised eyes before murmuring, "I was just leaving sir but an owl stopped me. It gave this package to me. Your name is written on it."

Draco looks at the wrapped package and murmurs, "Okay. Leave it on the table and leave for gods sake. It's late."

Mart nods and then scurries off. Draco sits on his chair and rubs his eyes. He needs to sleep and he needs Harry. Everything has become a mess.

He opens the package and finds a note that says...  _She dances quite well... that black thong suits her, doesn't it?_

Draco freezes and his blood starts boiling. He doesn't understand what this is. There is a vial of memories and Draco wonders who the fuck has sent this package to him. Harry doesn't dance. In fact the only time she dances is behind closed doors and for Draco and that too had been a very long while ago. After marriage, she hasn't danced for him. He has been too busy for that kind of thing.

Fingers trembling with rage summon a pensieve and pour the memories in it.

Draco bends his head in the pensieve and what he witnesses leaves him shell-shocked.

Harry is in a skirt and a simple shirt and she is dancing. There is a sensual smile on her face as if she is trying to seduce someone and slowly she opens the zipper of her skirt. The skirt falls down and leaves Harry in a lacy black thong which is transparent and her shirt. She smiles and turns around and swings her hip. She is looking bloody sexy. Slowly she starts unbuttoning her shirt while still turned around and takes it off too.

Draco stares. She is wearing a black bra. Slowly she turns around and dances slowly, sensually, carding her hands through her hair. Her lips are slightly parted and she swinging her hips slowly. Her eyes are closed as she throws her head a bit and lifts her hands above her head. The push up bra is showing her sexy cleavage. She is really really so beautiful. and Draco is really really hard. He palms himself.

His blood is boiling with rage but that doesn't mean that he isn't aroused by her performance. He loves it.

He trusts her. He knows that she won't sleep with around. She won't. She loves him but then she opens her eyes and looks in front of her and smiles as if someone is there. She bites her lower lip and and licks it slowly.

The movement causes Draco's erection to strain in his trousers.

What he doesn't understand is that who is she looking at if she is not putting a performance for someone. What is exactly happening and who the fuck has owled these memories to him.

Unbidden, mother's words flicker in the forefront of his mind.

_She is very innocent and trusts people very easily._

Draco wonders if mother had said it in this context too.

Harry doesn't like dancing in front of anyone else. She is not confident enough. She loves Draco and is never shy in front of him and he loves her dance. That's why she likes dancing for him.

The memory ends abruptly when she turns around and starts moving towards her bed. Draco pulls out of the pensieve.

His body is literally vibrating with unbridled fury.

He needs to know what this really was. She hates dancing. Then - then what is this?

He closes his eyes and apparates straight inside his room, the pensieve in his hands.

XXXX

 


	10. Lust

_**Chapter-10** _

_**Lust** _

"Harry." Harry shoots up, her eyes wide and startled when he hears Draco hiss at her. Her heart is racing and her lips are parted. She was sound asleep and she is tired.

"Draco. Can we talk in the morning? I am very tired and I just want to sleep." She requests, his eyebrows furrowed and nose scrunched in frustration, "Why did you wake me up? I was sleeping so soundly."

It's so unfair. She looks at the time and realizes that she had slept just half an hour back.

"Sure... sleep after watching this memory." He murmurs coolly and keeps a pensieve on the bed. Further, he pours some memories out of a vial into it.

"Can't we do this in the morning? I have had a very difficult day." She murmurs desperately. Her eyes are drooping and her head is pounding. She places her palms on her head and massages it a bit.

"No. This can't wait." Draco insists. His eyes are blank and furious. It's the kind of fury Harry really dislikes. He won't tell anything to her until she watches the memories by herself.

So she closes her eyes in defeat and sighs.

"I won't have woken you up if this wasn't important." He murmurs and Harry looks at him. This is new. He has never acknowledged that she can be tired too, not after their marriage at least. His eyes are full of rage as he stares at her. She crawls towards the pensieve and bends her face inside it. It is just at the edge of the bed. At-least she doesn't have to get out of the bed.

But what she witnesses inside... it shakes her up. She had locked the doors. She had been alone inside her room. How is this possible. She had ensured that the door and windows were locked and that privacy charms were cast. How could there have been somebody inside her room.

She is so - she feels so violated. She has never felt like this. This is something that she does for Draco only. She was missing him so much last night and he is always so busy.

How can someone have seen her like this. She swallows bile and a bead of sweat trickles down her forehead as she takes her head out of it.

Draco's cautious and furious eyes meet hers and she gets out of the bed.

"Harry." He mutters and she backs off before yelling, "Accio Draco's Veritaserum tablets."

"Harry wait-" He yells at her, his eyes panicked and body tensed. But before he can as much as move towards her, the vial of tablets reaches her palm and in her panic, she just opens the vial and takes a few tablets inside, realizing only belatedly as to what she has done.

Her eyes widen and Draco bends her before slapping her back, "Spit it out. Spit it out Harry. You stupid woman."

He is literally hissing at her. She coughs out the tablets and mumbles, "Done."

He helps her up and stares at her. She wipes her mouth and stares back, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Are you mad?" He asks her, "Did I ask you to prove yourself? Did I even accuse you?"

"I thought that you would accuse me of sleeping around." She mutters blankly, her body taut with tension.

"You are so rash. Earlier that day, you just sat under running cold water all night and today you took so many veritaserum tablets. If I had wanted you to prove yourself, I would have brought those tablets with myself. You know that one mustn't consume more than one tablet and even that wasn't necessary because of the simple fact that I trust you." Draco snaps at her, "Talking with you has become so difficult lately. We don't talk. We fuck or we fight with each other or you do such- such mad things."

She stares murderously at him, her grief and despair over the memory forgotten as she hisses at him, "You are never even there to talk to me. I was dancing by myself. I was missing you and was just humoring myself by imagining that you were there in front of me. I cast locking and privacy charms before starting."

Tears slide down her cheeks and she sniffs before wiping her lips off.

Their eyes are boring into each other, furious and defensive.

"I can't just sit with you and waste my time." He snaps at her and she glares at him before snapping right back, "We don't even see each other these days Draco. Some days you come at one at night and leave at six in the morning. No-one works so much."

That is the moment when she realizes that it's late and she has to leave early in the morning. She needs to sleep.

"Never mind." She mutters when he opens his mouth to speak, "I will just ensure that I don't take my clothes off next time I stay in some hotel. Merlin knows who was there."

He stares at her and opens his mouth but she beats him to it, "No. I need to sleep. It was my mistake and I will bear it silently. You don't need to bother yourself. Just pay attention to your bloody business."

She whirls around and casts a burning spell on the pensieve. She is just about to get inside the blankets when someone knocks on the door.

"Who is it now?" She grimaces and Draco mutters quickly,"I will open the door. Just take some rest."

She nods and gets inside the blankets, closing her eyes. She is really very tired.

"Master Draco. Mr. Charles is here to meet Mistress Harry. He says that he is here to place a large order and it's urgent." Blissy squeaks and Harry sighs in frustration. A large order will mean that she will have to brew it or she will have to ask Tom to sell half of it. If he sells the half, she will have to keep the track of the money that she gets out of it.

She doesn't have time to keep track of it. She has to travel for the promotion too. How will she brew if she is traveling. She can't trust Tom to promote her products too. He is cunning and self-centered.

"Harry." The soft voice belongs to Draco. He is bent over her, his hand on her forehead.

"I'll come with you. Just get ready." He murmurs, his eyes soft as he looks into her tortured ones. She sighs and gets up. After removing the blanket she gets out of the bed and holds the headboard so that she doesn't fall down.

"Have you had any sleep in the last three days?" Draco asks, his arm around her waist and she shakes her head, "For around two hours. I slept after dancing yesterday night but that's all."

His eyes are concerned as he looks at her, "Come on. I will accompany you."

Somehow, that reassures her. It decreases her stress. He is a potions master. It would be so much better if he would just brew and sell potions with her. She looks at him before wrapping her arms around his stomach and placing her cheeks on his chest.

"Blissy, serve some snacks and refreshments to Mr. Charles. Harry and I will be there in a few moments." Draco murmurs and embraces her.

"I will find the bastard and make him pay. Don't worry. Just stay cautious. I will try to balance my work now Harry. I miss you." He whispers and Harry stays silent. He doesn't have time.

He strokes her back and transfigures her night gown into a shirt and skirt.

Together, they walk down to meet her client.

XXXX

Harry sighs tiredly. She had not been able to fulfill that order by herself. She had given half of the order to Tom. They have shared one more order after that. A week has passed since they fulfilled that order of Mr. Charles. A week has passed since Draco received those memories. 

She has been terrified and cautious since then. Even a little movement or sound in the room scares her off if Draco is not sleeping with her and she misses Draco more than ever when she has to sleep alone in some hotel. As such she is avoiding doing that. She returns home no matter how late it is. 

Mostly, Draco is asleep when she returns and they don't get to talk to each other. First thing in the morning, she has to brew and then she has to leave for conferences. All this is tiring her. Most of the times when she is brewing, her eyes are drooping. Just a couple of days back, she had fallen asleep on the floor of her lab. Draco had found her in the middle of the night and carried her towards their bedroom. 

Though they don't talk to each other, they don't fight too. Sometimes, when Harry lays down on the bed and her movement wakes Draco up, he stares at her. She crawls inside the blankets and he gets up to bring water for her because she is too tired to do it by herself. 

Most of the nights, he places food for her on the chair. It has a warming charm on it so it stays warm. 

These little things have made Harry fall in love with him all over again. It's not like she hadn't known that he will not go against his father when they were unmarried. She had known that and had also known that Lucius had forbidden Draco to become a potions master. She had compelled him to go against his father's wishes. For once Draco had agreed. He loves brewing. He has always loved it. In fact, he is the one who taught the subject to her. She despised Snape and didn't pay attention in his class.

She had loved Draco enough to overlook the fact that Draco can't go against Lucius even when the man is doing something wrong.

She sighs and turns to lay on her back and stares at the ceiling for a few seconds before closing her eyes.

Had Draco been with her, she won't have been forced to take Tom's help. Right now, she is in Edinburgh with Tom and she has a conference in about two hours.

She tries to sleep but something is terribly wrong. As soon as she closes her eyes, she feels lips brushing on her neck and face and when she opens them, the room seems completely empty. She has checked the room multiple times already. There is no-one and she has cast revealing charms too.

"Who is it?" She calls and looks around. No-one answers and she closes her eyes once again. In a few moments, when she is just on the brink of falling asleep, she feels the blanket being removed from her upper body and a weight settles on her groin. Suddenly, a soft hand is unbuttoning her shirt and her eyes pop open, terrified. The hand doesn't stop when she struggles.

"Who is it?" She murmurs frantically and tries to button her shirt up.

"Get off." She yells, her voice breaking off as the hands try to sneak inside her shirt.

The hands become desperate and try to shove her hands off to get inside her shirt easily. They are not hurting her and she is surprised by this fact.

"Whosoever you are, just get off." She murmurs softly, "You are hurting me. You don't want to hurt me, do you. I love someone else. You are hurting me by doing this. Get off."

The hands stop and remove themselves from her shirt. The weight is still there and she is about to speak something when lips press against her lips and she struggles to shove them away but is unable to.

A few moments later, the lips retreat and the weight gets removed and she sits up, wiping her lips off.

She gets out of the bed and packs her things, trembling with fright. She won't stay in hotels now. She will just return home for the night, even if it's too tiring.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she apparates inside her bedroom.

As soon as she does, Draco shoots up, startled to see her in the middle of the night.

XXXX

 


	11. Change Of Heart

_**Chapter-11** _

_**Change of Heart** _

Draco sits up on the bed, wide-eyed as a sobbing Harry suddenly appears in front of him. Her shirt is half unbuttoned, revealing her bra and she just drops her trunk on the floor before rushing towards him. Before he knows it, he has an armful of his wife, trembling and sobbing all over him.

He sighs, wondering what has happened. He has been worried for her for the past week. He has tried to gather his strength to talk to father about quitting but as soon as father comes in front of him, he loses his nerve.

She is always in a hurry. Either she in a hurry to brew or she is in a hurry to leave for a conference. She is always stressed because some client calls her and she has to say that a particular potion is out of stock. She doesn't sleep for more than three hours at night and Draco knows that she has a conference in about two hours.

Yet, she is here, sobbing in his arms. He is truly concerned for her. The worst thing is that he can help her and he wants so desperately to help her but he must talk to father for that. He wishes that he wasn't a bloody coward.

These days, he barely pays any attention to his work at all. Even when he is in his office, he is studying Harry's files. She had left it in their room. She has shared two clients so far. What he saw had confused him. They had two orders and Harry had sent her share to Riddle for delivery. The potions that were sent to the man were more than he had required.

Draco wonders why that happened. Even regarding that first order of Mr. Charles that they had shared, the balance potions weren't returned to her. The second order after that had been for seven dozen vials of Draught of Living Death and Harry had sent nine. The balance were not returned to her.

He doesn't understand why this happened. Even after this, the percentage share that she got is thirty percent not fifty.

He attends his meeting half heartedly and wants father to take over. Riddle is cheating Harry. She is working so hard and it would be so much better and easier for both of them if they start their own potions business. They could keep interns and have them do some work for them.

She is sobbing and trembling, her cheeks on his shoulders. He tightens his arms around her.

"Harry." He whispers worriedly, stroking her back.

Draco is worried that Harry will literally go mad if this continues.

"I was sleeping and felt that someone was kissing me. But when I opened my eyes there was no-one. I couldn't see him. Then someone started unbuttoning my shirt. I was so terrified. I couldn't even see him. I don't want to travel alone anymore. I don't know who it is." She chokes out, tears running down her cheeks.

"Calm down." He murmurs, stroking her back.

"I don't want to travel alone. I am going mad. I can't handle everything at once." She chokes out, hiccuping and sobbing simultaneously. He caresses her back soothingly.

"Calm down Harry." He says softly.

"I still have to get three dozen vials of sleeping potion ready by tomorrow morning and I had to attend that conference too. It is really very very important. I can't miss it. I don't want Tom to grab all my customers." She mumbles, "But I am tired and I want to take some rest. Most of my time gets wasted between the conferences. I have not had proper sleep for so many days now. And I have to return here each night. It's getting impossible. I don't understand who is this sick fuck. First he sent those memories to you and today he tried to assault me."

She is literally holding him so tightly that he has to pull her back a bit.

He leans back, pulling her along with him. He strokes her back and thinks about it. She sobs her heart out on his chest and he tries to find a solution to this problem.

Out of nowhere, an idea strikes him. He hums and then starts, "We can do one thing."

"What is it?" She mumbles after sniffing a bit, her fingers playing with his shirt button. She is still trembling. He can understand. It must be difficult for her. The fact that someone tried to assault her is boiling his blood too but there is really no point of getting angry.

"I will polyjuice into you and attend this conference." He murmurs.

She freezes on his chest before pulling back and staring at him, her eyes wide with shock.

"Why would you polyjuice into me." She asks him.

"I will try to catch whosoever it is while he is making moves on me." He murmurs, looking into her eyes. Her green eyes lit up.

He continues, "You can rest for a bit and then brew that potion you need to supply tomorrow."

She nods and then whispers, her green eyes concerned and relieved, "You must be tired too." He is tired and he won't lie but she is more tired than him and he really wants to attend this conference, not just to catch this sick bastard but also because he loves potions and everything related to them.

"You are more tired then me and I really do want to attend this conference. Don't worry." He murmurs and kisses her forehead.

He places his hand on her head and pulls her down on his chest, mumbling, "What is the conference about?"

"Wolfsbane." She murmurs.

"Hmmmmm." He speaks softly and goes on, "Go to sleep. I will wake you up when I leave. It will take you only three hours to brew the potion. You can sleep again after that. Tell father that I am attending the conference in your stead."

She hums and soon she goes to sleep.

He doesn't. He is sure that it was Riddle who tried to assault he must have managed to make himself invisible. He wants to make the bastard pay. How dare he touch Harry like this.

XXXX

 


	12. For You

**_Chapter-12_ **

**_For you_ **

Draco rubs his tired eyes and sighs. He tried his best to sleep but it eluded him. He doesn't know how to cope up with everything. On the one hand, he is leaving to attend the conference. On the other hand, he has his own meetings to attend.

He knows that this is not just onetime thing. He doesn't want Harry to go with Riddle anymore. He is damn sure that that man is trying to violate her. It would be easy to just ask her to disassociate herself from him but he can't ask this of her unless he is ready to get involved in this profession completely.

He still doesn't know how to approach father regarding this but he can't Harry let go with that bastard alone. Mother was right. Harry is really very innocent. Riddle is cheating her.

"Harry. It's time." He murmurs and yawns. Harry mumbles something incoherently and burrows in his chest. She is so adorable and beautiful that he doesn't want to even move.

"Harry, you have to wake up. You have to brew." He murmurs and strokes her hair. She literally whimpers. He knows that she is tired but she must wake up. She will be so upset if she loses this client and Draco can't tolerate her sadness.

"Harry, wake up. You can sleep once the potion is done and has to sit for an hour." He mumbles and leans forward to kiss her closed eyes.

Finally, she blinks her eyes and opens them. They are red-rimmed and full of sleep.

"You didn't sleep at all." This is the first thing she says. He stares at her.

"Your eyes are red." She murmurs and yawns.

"I can go if you want me to." She mumbles and he shakes his head, "No. It isn't safe for you."

Their eyes meet and she blinks a couple of times before murmuring softly, "What are you hiding?"

He sighs. How can she read him so quickly.

"I will tell you once I am sure I am right. I have a hunch that there is more to this." He whispers, "I don't want you to go alone."

"I am not alone. Riddle is-" She starts and then looks at him before muttering rudely, "You are suspicious of him. He is not the one responsible for this. Leave it. I'll just-" She tries to pull away.

He looks into her eyes and murmurs softly, "He is cheating you. In the last order, he asked you to send more vials then necessary and didn't send the remaining ones. He is giving you thirty percent of the sales. I have been studying your files for the past few days. I think that he has been selling your brewed potions and has been keeping the money instead of giving it to you. I am sure that he is the one who tried to assault you." He states, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

He is so annoyed with the man. Harry is looking devastated. Why must she trust others so quickly.

"I can just call this whole thing off Draco. He doesn't matter to me." She murmurs. He shakes his head.

"I think that there is more to it. You are married. Why will he do so much to just bed you." He mutters, "I - I am worried Harry. It doesn't look like it but I- I can't bear it. He almost assaulted you. I couldn't even sleep. I kept on thinking about what could have happened if you hadn't escaped."

"You can't go every time. What about your family business? It won't run itself." She mutters.

He grimaces, "I don't know. I - I just know this that I can't let you go alone and I can't let your profession suffer and I- I- well, I want to attend the conference. You know that I like everything related to potions. I have never attended or hosted one. I have a lot of knowledge and can impart it. I have always wanted to host a potions conference."

She stares at him before sighing, "What will you tell father?"

"I have been thinking about something." He starts, "I don't have time to explain it right now but I would like to talk about this once I get back."

She stares at him and just when he thinks that she will get up, she pulls her face closer to his. He is surprised when she presses her lips against his.

He thinks that she will pull back after a quick peck but she deepens the kiss. Her body is trembling just a bit. Her hands are on his cheeks as she sucks his lower lip, her eyes closed and pulls back before leaning again.

When she finally pulls back and looks at him, desire is clear in her eyes but there is grief too. He can understand her grief. She has always been a very closed off person. In Hogwarts, he had been her first and the only boyfriend. She didn't like wearing short skirts or short shirts. She wore shorts but very rarely and mostly she just wore jeans or long skirts. She stayed away from boys and he was the first one to kiss her.

She had told him that she not received even a cheek kiss from any boy. At the ball, when he had dragged her to the dance floor, she had started crying and had told him that they could dance when they were alone, that she doesn't like dancing in front of anyone.

Many a time, he had asked her to wear short skirts like other girls did just for the sake of it. Even after marriage, he had suggested it to let her know that he didn't have any issues with what she chose to wear.

She had told him that she would wear it for him but she doesn't like wearing short skirts in general. She is just not used to such dresses but she would surely like to wear such things for him if he wants her to.

She is very innocent and has never been in male company. Except for Weasley, she has had no male friend and he trusts her more than anyone on this planet. He is really worried for her.

"It's okay. Try to forget it. I won't let it happen again. Either we will go together or I will go alone. You won't have to go alone again. If you want to, then we'll go together." He whispers and she nods, her lips pinched together and her eyes pained.

"Harry, don't think about it."

"First those memories and then today- I - I can't digest it. How dare he." She mutters sharply, her eyes blazing.

"He has always wanted you. You don't see it or perhaps you do and you don't understand that he is really dangerous." He mutters and continues when she tries interrupt him, "It's okay. You are not going alone again. I will deal with father. Don't worry. I won't let you get hurt. We will cross the bridge when we need to. This was bound to happen sometime Harry. I should have seen it coming. I had never wanted to carry on our family business."

She sighs before pulling back and murmuring, "All right."

She yawns and continues, "I will just retreat to my lab. Do tell me how it went."

He watches quietly as she walks away, her shoulders drooped and her fingers still trembling. She needs sleep. Draco will have to help her and merlin knows how he will do that. At this rate, she will fall ill.

He shakes his head and accios a vial of his hand made polyjuice potion.

XXXX

Tom licks his lips when he watches Harry walking towards him. She looks a bit different. Her eyes are cautious and her stride is more graceful. Tom watches her suspiciously. She is not smiling like she usually does. There is something sinister about her smile. Tom freezes as he tries to study her body language. Today the conference is on wolfsbane. Many werewolfs stay here at Edinburgh and they have to often hide because of their condition.

He will convince her to stay in the city for the day after the conference. He can lure her to his manor if she does. 

She is too beautiful and last night, he could barely control himself. He didn't want to hurt her but he couldn't control himself. Watching her beautiful soft body from afar is getting more and more difficult. 

But the fact that what he did last night is disgusting him is surprising. The worst thing is that he can't even apologize. He doesn't understand why he wants to apologize. 

He stares at her shirt. It leaves little to imagination. He wants to hold her in his arms. He wants to kiss her and make love to her. 

But she doesn't. She loves Malfoy. 

Initially Tom had just wanted her for the ritual. But now, he doesn't want to hurt her but he'll have to. He wants to become the greatest and most powerful wizard and for that he needs her's and Dumbledore's life essence and magic. 

Maybe he will bed her and then do the ritual. Yes, that's what he will do. He will get her out of his system first. 

He smiles at her. She doesn't smile back, instead turning her face towards the crowd gathered in front of them.

When he tries to wrap his arm around her waist, she lifts her heel and sticks it in his foot. 

Tom bites his lips to keep himself from yelling loudly.

XXXX

 


	13. A Decision

**_Chapter-13_ **

**_A decision_ **

"Harry wait."Draco stops when he hears Riddle's voice. This is the moment he has been waiting for. Riddle tried to touch Harry more than once.

It's weird to be in Harry's body. He is repulsed by this man. One reason is that Draco is straight and the other reason is that he simply despises Riddle.

He turns around and pastes a false smile on Harry's face.

Riddle reaches him and stands at a bit of distance.

"Stay here for the day." He murmurs and Draco gets straight to the point.

"I know that it was you yesterday. Next time, I won't be so terrified and you won't escape unscathed. I am warning you. Stay away from me." He mutters sharply and the man stares.

"I don't know what you mean by this."

"You have been warned. Don't stay in a misconception that I am alone." Draco mutters.

"He doesn't keep you happy, does he? Stay with me. I can make you happy." Riddle murmurs, his eyes laden with lust.

Draco glares at the man, his eyes blazing with fury, "Don't cross your limits."

"I-" Riddle murmurs and backs off, "I am sorry Harry. I will just leave you be. We have another conference tomorrow evening here."

This being said, the man leaves, leaving Draco to his thoughts. Draco apparates when he feels the polyjuice potion wearing off.

By the time he reaches his room, he is himself again. A flick of his fingers and he is dressed in his pajamas and a simple shirt.

His eyes are burning. He really wants to sleep.

But first, first he needs to check upon Harry.

XXXX

Harry whimpers when an elf disturbs her sleep. She is just so bloody tired.

"Mistress Harry, firecalls are being coming for master Draco and you from Edinburgh. They are wanting to place orders for wolfsbane."

"Note their floo addresses and keep the parchment in my room inside Draco's drawer." She mumbles and presses her knees closer to get chest.

"Mistress Harry, the potion needs to be stirred once and then poured into vials. Your client is being arriving in an hour." She whispers.

"Just let me sleep. Please go away. I am so tired." She whimpers again. The elf starts, "But -" and a kind voice interrupts her, "Bring some cardboard boxes blissy. I will pack the vials."

Harry opens her eyes and Draco's tired face leans towards her. He kisses her lips softly and she whispers, "It's cold."

"Wait." He says and conjures a blanket to cover her. She sighs and watches him flick his fingers. The potion pours itself in the vials.

"Hey, I want to learn this spell." She mumbles incoherently.

"I will teach you when you are awake. Go to sleep."

"Blissy said there are orders for Wolfsbane. The conference went well, eh?" She asks him. Draco has always been brilliant with potions. His knowledge is vast and he is extremely intelligent.

Draco is a very good speaker. He always succeeds in influencing people around him. Harry had known that the conference will be a huge success.

"Yes. I enjoyed it." He murmurs and the last few vials get filled too.

"How will I get the orders ready?" She asks, frustrated all of a sudden. "I want to sleep for a while."

"Don't worry. Just go to sleep." He says and she murmurs, "hmmm." before succumbing to tiredness and closing her eyes.

Absently, he feels Draco pick her up and carry her to their bedroom.

"Draco where have you been?"

"I will talk with you later about this father."

"What about the meetings -"

"Please accept my apologies and attend the meetings. I will talk to you about it once I wake up and Harry has had her share of sleep."

Harry doesn't hear anything after that because the Draco closes the door and locks it before placing Harry on the bed.

A moment later, the bed dips and Harry places her face on Draco's chest before falling asleep.

XXXX

Harry's eyes shoot open when she hears Draco say, "I want to hand over the business to father." A few hours seem to have passed since she slept. Draco is sitting beside her, two parchments in his hand and sunlight is streaming through the windows.

"What's the time?" She asks and rubs her eyes.

"Twelve P.M." He replies. She yawns before sitting up. 

"Did I just hear you say that you are handing over the business back to father." She mutters as soon as she digests the information. 

"Yes." He replies, "I want to. I have wanted it ever since you collaborated with Riddle. I just couldn't gather the courage to do so. But attending that conference was an eye opener Harry. I enjoyed it."

She stares at him, shocked.

"You are at home. Why didn't you-" She starts and he cuts her off, "I have been avoiding father since morning. I have received so many firecalls that I had to ask Blissy to stay near the fireplace and note down the orders. I couldn't leave, could I and I have to attend another conference tomorrow evening. Riddle tried to invite you to his bed today. I was right about him Harry."

All this is so difficult to digest that Harry keeps on staring at him.

"I don't understand. What will you tell father?" She mutters, shell-shocked. Instead of answering her, he places the papers aside and pulls her towards him before pressing their lips together. She parts her lips in surprise and he sucks her lower lip slowly. 

"I have been thinking about this for the past few days. I don't want to carry on the business any more. I would rather brew and sell potions with you. I would rather start our own business." He murmurs, his eyes gazing decidedly into hers.

She stay silent and stares at him, her lips still parted in shock. He joins their lips again and his hand wraps around her breast. She squeezes the other one desperately. He removes her hand and replaces it with his. She sighs inside his mouth.

He pulls back and stares at her half unbuttoned shirt.

"Remove it." She murmurs. She wants to feel his hands all over herself. The urge is desperate.

"I have to tell father. I don't want to lose my nerve." He murmurs and starts peppering her face with hot kisses. She closes her eyes, her heart racing. Her whole body is trembling.

His eyes are full of desire as they stare at her breasts which are still covered with her shirt.

"Remove it." She moans out desperately. He pushes her on the bed and lays over her, kissing her jaw softly.

"You are so beautiful." He murmurs and trails his lips all over her neck as he speaks. Her skin is burning and she needs him. She closes her eyes. 

"You smell so good." He mumbles and nuzzles her neck.

"I can't think clearly like this." She whispers and throws her head back when he parts her legs and slides his hand inside her pajamas. His lips are on sucking the junction of her neck and shoulder and his hand is palming her.

"It's hard to stop." He murmurs. She moans, "Draco, please."

"You are so wet. I want to go down on you." He murmurs seductively and Harry moans again, her head thrown back.

A knock startles both of them.

"Draco. Open the door. Stop avoiding me." Father hisses and Harry sighs.

"Such a bad timing." Draco whispers and buries his face in her neck before taking his hand out of her pants and placing it on the bed.

His weight is comfortable and warm on her. She wraps one arm around his back and places the other on his soft hair.

She closes her eyes when his manhood presses against her groin. He is hard and she wants him so much.

To relieve herself a bit, she moves her hips and rubs against his erection.

He bites her neck hard. She moans softly.

"Draco. Open this door and talk to me." 

"I will lose my nerve if I postpone it any longer. Let me do it now." Draco murmurs, his tongue licking the bite mark he has left there.

She moves her hips again.

"If you do this one more time, I will disappear your lowers and just thrust inside you." He whispers softly and presses his hardness against her groin insistently.

"Just touch me." She moans out.

"I am all over you."He replies, nuzzling her neck.

She turns her neck to the other side to give proper access to him.

"There." She mumbles softly, "Only once."

"I won't be able to stop once I touch you there Harry." He murmurs, his body frozen on her.

"DRACO." Father hisses and Harry huffs in annoyance.

"Okay let's speak to father then." Finally after glaring at him for a couple of minutes, she murmurs unhappily.

"Okay." Draco replies and very slowly he gets off her, smirking wickedly all the while.

She glares viciously at him.

"You would rather that I fuck you, eh. So eager." He teases her. She glares unhappily at him before mumbling, "I hate you."

"No you don't." He murmurs and flicks his fingers towards the door.  

XXXX

 


	14. The Confrontation

**_chapter-14_ **

**_The confrontation_ **

Draco swallows when father enters his room. He wants mother to be there for this discussion too so he conjures two chairs and calls loudly, "Mother."

"Coming." Mother replies back and a moment later, she appears on his entryway. Father is sitting straight, his eyes looking sharply at him and his arms crossed on his chest.

"Draco should I leave?" Harry asks him. She is sitting beside him on the edge of the bed, her warm hands placed on his.

"No." He replies, his eyes downcast. He is really really very nervous. He has wanted to have this discussion for a long time now. Only now, when he attended the conference, he realized that his passion lies in potion making and that he doesn't want to carry on the family business anymore.

"Okay." She replies and sits close to him. Her presence gives him the strength he needs to do this. He wants her to be there. He can't do this without her. He turns his hand around and wraps it around hers.

"Father. I don't want to handle the family business." He gets straight to the point. Father stares blankly at him. He stares back, swallowing bile. Father's eyes are completely unreadable. He can't understand as to what he is thinking right now.

Mother has a very tiny smile on her face though. Her eyes are sparkling.

"It's your responsibility. The business passes on to the heir." Father mutters coldly and Draco breathes hard. It's difficult to keep the fury inside him but he does.

"You never think about your family. You-" Father continues coldly.

"I have always though about this family first and myself later. I have always just wanted to become a potions master. You compelled me to head the business. I am not interested in it. You are more than capable of carrying it father. Please just forgive me. I can't and I won't. I only want to work with Harry." Draco mutters. Father's eyes are piercing him. Draco looks back. He won't back out today.

"Stop this nonsense. You are going to-"

"I am not going to office. I will sell potions with Harry and will start my own business. That's it. You can do whatever you wish with the family business. I refuse to listen to all this again." Draco cuts father off. Harry is very quiet and so is mother. Draco looks into father's eyes, refusing to avert his eyes. That would mean that he is a coward, that he is accepting to live according to father once again.

"You can't do this Draco." Father hisses at him.

"I can do whatever I want. I have a wife and I love potion making. That's what I will do. I will work with my wife. That's it. I am not listening to you now. Just leave our room until you have decided to understand me." Draco's heart is threatening to burst and Harry is squeezing his hand. He knows that he is being rude but he can't let father demand this of him again.

"Don't take this tone with me Draco." Father mutters and towers over him. For a moment, Draco is intimidated and he is on the verge of apologizing but then Harry's warm hand on his stops him.

"I am not a child anymore and won't let you manipulate me like this. I am not rejoining the family business. I have already decided." Draco mutters and looks into father's eyes again. Father backs off and settles on his chair once again. Draco sits straight, his back stiff and father leans back. He taps his knees and looks arrogantly at Draco before muttering coldly, "I will throw you out of this house."

"You can. I will go and work hard and then I will build my own manor. You can live in this manor with mother." Draco answers, his voice confident.

"Draco. You are being rude." Harry murmurs and Draco shakes his head before looking at her with soft eyes, "No Harry. Father doesn't understand. Thank merlin, you compelled me to complete my education. I hate this business and I have already wasted so much time. I would prefer to work with you and do what I really want. Mother is right. We will be great together. I want to work with you. I don't want to spend time in monotonous and boring meetings."

He looks at father once again and mutters, "We will leave if that's what you want. Harry has made some money and we live on rent for the time being. I won't let you blackmail me into carrying this burden again. Harry is with me now and we will live. We'll have less money and less luxuries but we'll live. It'll be better then staying in a meeting while my mind is on Harry. She is overworking and I can help her. I want to help her. I won't back off. You have to decide now father. What is it that you want, your arrogance or your children."

Their eyes meet and Draco doesn't back off. When his father's eyes start softening and the stiffness of his shoulders reduces, Draco stares, surprised.

"I have been waiting to hear this for quite some time now." Father mutters and Draco gapes at him. He literally gapes at him.

"I am proud of you." Mother murmurs and smiles at him.

"But I don't understand." Draco whispers perplexed.

"I was waiting for you to speak up. You mother asked me to wait. She was right, as usual." Father murmurs and gets up, a smile on his face, "Good luck Draco. I am proud of you."

Mother stands up and places twin kisses on Draco's and Harry's foreheads and then leaves them alone.

A few moments later, Harry places her head on Draco's shoulder and whispers, "What are we going to do about Tom?"

"I think we should visit Severus and talk to him about this." Draco whispers and Harry makes a face at him.

"He is so grumpy." She sulks and Draco chuckles at her, "He just likes teasing you."

"I hate him."

"You don't."

Harry pouts at him, her lower lips jutting out. He leans forward and presses a small kiss on it. Her lips upturn in a sweet smile and she murmurs, "I am so happy."

Draco pulls her in a warm hug and places his chin on her head, murmuring, "Me too."

XXXX

 


	15. Albus Dumbledore's justice

_ **Chapter-15** _

_**Albus Dumbledore's justice** _

Albus finds himself humming a very old song while looking outside the window of the room allotted to him by Tom. It's chilly outside and seems like it's going to rain. He has always found Tom ... naive. Albus has been patient and has waited for Tom to realize the mistake he is making. But the young man's time has run out. 

Albus has waited enough. It's almost over. Almost. 

"Master Albus." Dobby, the strangest elf he has ever met, murmurs excitedly and Albus smiles kindly at him, "Master Albus. Dobby has given the note to Master Severus and head auror Robards."

"Thank you Dobby. Have you brought my-" Albus trails off when Dobby takes a pouch out.

"Yes. Dobby has brought your lemon drops, Master Albus."

Albus opens the pouch and smiles. By the time, he looks up, the elf has vanished. 

"Almost over. A few more days and I can finally return to Hogwarts." Albus murmurs to himself and continues humming. The weather is nice and he can only hope that it doesn't change by the time this adventure comes to an end.

XXXX

Severus had always known that the old coot was alive. When he read the letter sent by Albus, he laughed because it was really laughable to think that Tom Riddle could keep Albus Dumbledore captured. Even the ministry is afraid of the man. How Riddle manages to live in such a stupid illusion is really beyond Severus. 

Albus wants Tom behind bars and has already sent a letter to Robards too. Now Harry and Draco are the only ones to be contacted. So the first thing he does after Dobby disappears, is to walk towards the fireplace and ring Draco directly. 

Severus is glad that Draco has finally found his courage to tell Lucius what he really wants to do in his life. When Draco accepts the call, Severus's eyebrows rise in surprise. He looks really tired. It seems that he hasn't slept for some days. 

"Severus. You are back. Where were you? I have been trying to contact you for a week now." Draco hisses and Severus rolls his eyes. Albus and his schemes. The old coot probably wanted to give another chance to Riddle. He must still want it. However, now Riddle is ready to do the blasted ritual and capture Harry and as stated by Albus, there is no point of waiting. 

"Come over Draco. We have things to discuss." Severus says and a nod later, he finds both Draco and his arrogant wife coming over. 

As usual, Harry is glaring at him and as usual, Severus looks coldly at her. He really can't tolerate the stupid girl. She is too aggressive and can't sit still for a few moments. She can't stay quiet and is irritating. God only knows how she can manage to brew so complicated potions. 

They sit on the chairs and face him. 

"Severus, Riddle-" Draco starts and Severus lifts a hand to stop him. Thereafter, he places Albus's letter in front of him. Albus already has a plan and it has to be brought into motion tomorrow. 

Draco's eyebrows raise in surprise but Harry doesn't look surprised. She is grinning gleefully by the time they finish and sit back. Severus stares at them, wondering how they can even tolerate each other. They are polar opposites and how they can live together without bringing the entire manor on their heads is beyond Severus. 

"So when shall I leave?" Harry, being Harry, squeals and Draco, being Draco, breathes patiently before starting, "Can you not be reckless for just a day, Harry. Can you?"

Severus watches them, amazed. Harry glares at Draco who only grimaces in return. 

"Tomorrow. You will knock at Riddle's door and we will just be outside, disillusioned. We will be there with the aurors. Albus will be inside with Riddle." Severus cuts in before they can start bickering. Honestly, after all these years, these two still behave like small children. 

Where on one hand Harry grins and rubs her hands mischievously, Draco starts shaking his head exasperatedly. Severus wonders if he should tell Black that she won the bet. These two will never leave each other. 

XXXX

It's raining. Severus is standing with Draco. The aurors are behind him. Harry Potter loves rains and she has spent the past five minutes just staring at it, her eyes wide and childlike as she collects the rain droplets on her palms. Draco is annoyed of-course. The boy hates this kind of weather. Just another thing that sets the two completely apart. Harry is yet to ring Riddle's door bell and it's irritating Draco. But Draco did stop Severus from asking Harry to just move on. Severus doesn't understand them. He tries to but doesn't. 

How can this love they have be so strong. He did ask Black and she was her usual moronic self. He doesn't understand why the woman talks in riddles. She wasn't like this when they were still studying in Hogwarts. 

A moment passes and Harry still doesn't back off. Aurors are getting impatient now. 

"Draco." Severus whispers. Draco sighs and looks at Severus for a moment. His silver eyes are partly fond and partly exasperated. 

"She is such a child." Draco whispers back before clearing his throat. Harry's eyes flicker towards them and she sticks her tongue out. Severus knows that the gesture is meant for Draco who shakes his head yet again. Once again, Severus doesn't understand it. 

The green eyed girl whirls around and finally, finally rings the doorbell. All the aurors sigh in relief. The door is opened by Tom Riddle himself. Harry smiles at him and the man tries to smile back but all he manages to do is grimace. 

His face is not as handsome as it used to be. Scheming to take over the world does that to a person, perhaps. Riddle looks older. His eyes are tired and his cheeks are sunken. His back is stiff and his shoulders are alert in tension. 

Severus looks at Draco. There was a time when Severus had wondered if Draco and Riddle were twins or maybe just related somehow. His eyes flicker towards Harry. She is a very lively girl and looks younger then she actually is. Maybe she is the one who has created such a major difference. Severus was against Draco's marriage with Harry although he never voiced his opinion. Albus had stopped him. He had said that Draco really respected every word Severus said and for once Severus was wrong and that he should stay out if it. Black had told him that he just didn't understand love and so he shouldn't stop Draco and Harry and so Severus had stayed quiet. He had smiled and blessed them and prayed that they would not end up killing each other. 

Riddle invites Harry inside and they could finish everything right here but they need evidence. Albus told him to follow Harry inside with the aurors. So Severus gestures the aurors to follow them. The door closes behind them and they follow Riddle. He offers a glass of water to Harry who vanishes it as soon as Riddle's back turns and makes a show of fainting. 

Beside him, Draco quivers. Severus's head shoots towards him. His eyes are wide with something akin to terror. When Riddle picks Harry in his arms, Draco is on the verge to yelling. Severus squeezes the boy's hands and their eyes meet. 

Terror reduces a bit and they rush towards the door Riddle walks through. Draco really loves Harry.

Severus finds himself walking through a tunnel. They walk and walk and a few minutes later, they find themselves in a large room. It's dark and there are several lamps spread throughout the room. In the middle there is a complicated diagram on the floor and there are two mats. On one, there is Albus who is obviously acting. Riddle lays Harry down on the other.

It's very easy after that. The moment Riddle points his wand in Harry's direction, Draco summons it and they reveal themselves. Riddle is trapped. There are anti-apparition charms in this place. When Albus and Harry stand up, the boy's eyes widen in terror. 

"I warned you Tom." Albus whispers in a gentle voice. He is sincere. Severus knows that the man is not mocking. 

"You - how did you do this?" Riddle hisses furiously.

Albus only smiles, "Dobby is a dear friend of mine."

"Harry- I - I - please-" Riddle mumbles almost desperately and Severus stares at the man because he is not acting. Severus would know if he was. Of course, Harry doesn't think so. Nor does Draco who wastes no time in pulling his wife in his arms. 

"You stay away from Harry, Riddle." Draco snarls. His body is trembling. He wants to curse Riddle but he doesn't because aurors are already binding his arms. 

"I love Draco and I detest you for trying to drive us apart." Harry murmurs and tugs Draco towards the door. It seems that they are done with the man. However, Tom's eyes follow Harry until she leaves the room entirely. Albus looks piteously at Tom. 

Severus is about to leave too when he hears the boy whisper, "I am sorry. I should have listened to my conscience."

To say that Severus is shocked is an understatement. The fight seems to have left Riddle entirely. His shoulders are slumped and he seems so old that even Severus takes a deep breath. Riddle was a promising child. He had no parents but he was ambitious- over ambitious actually. That was where the actual problem lay.

The aurors are pulling Riddle towards the door. Severus only watches them from a distance. 

"Don't loose hope my dear boy. This is not the end. You haven't committed a crime yet." Albus, being Albus, mutters and smiles kindly at the boy and Severus knows that Albus is only testing Tom. After spending more than two decades with Albus, he knows the man enough to know that his heart is big and soft and his mind is sharp. If Tom realizes his mistake then Albus will get him out of Azkaban in no time. He will save Tom like he had saved Severus. 

"But- I love her." Tom looks startled at his own confession. His eyes go wide and his face becomes very pale. This, Severus can understand. He has not accepted his own-  _stupidly sentimental thoughts_  for Black and the woman is adamant enough to wait for Severus to make the first move. 

Albus laughs and Severus sighs. The man has already made his decision. This means that Severus wasted an entire day. He could have spent it, thinking about a proper way to propose Black. Even the aurors are looking annoyed. However, they stay silent. They are afraid of Albus and when  _Severus_  is not protesting, who are they to say anything. 

"That's good." Albus says and Riddle blinks.

Albus tales something out of his pouch and walks towards Tom, "You will fall in love once again, now that your heart is finally at peace." The aurors are just about to drag Riddle away when Albus a pushes a few wrapped candies inside Tom's pocket and murmurs, "While you think over everything, have some eclairs and lemon drops. They are my personal favorite. You do have a week to yourself."

This being said, Albus, the greatest and strangest wizard Severus has ever met walks out of the room. Severus rubs his forehead and looks at Riddle, whose mouth is wide open in surprise. 

"That's  _Albus Dumbledore_  for you." He murmurs. Riddle's head snaps towards him.

"I knew that this would be a big waste of my time. Honestly, I don't know why I even bother. Albus and his adventures. One would think he is thirty instead of one hundred and thirty......" Severus walks out, grumbling to himself until he reaches Black's cottage. Maybe it's time he allowed himself and Black their own happy ending too. If Draco and Harry can manage, then so can they. After all it's been more than two decades now. 

Black's fuming face greets him when she opens the door. 

"You went without me after all. I hate you." 

The door slams before Severus can say a single word and Severus starts casting unlocking charms, trying to answer her patiently through the door. 

_**The End** _

_**I would like it if you let me know what you think about the story.** _


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